A Chance to Love
by Shellagh22
Summary: *EPILOGUE!! EPILOGUE!!* It's a story about Mitsui meeting someone from his past and Rukawa given a chance to love something or rather, someone besides basketball. it's non-yaoi. R&R PLEASE!!!
1. A Ghost from the Past

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: I've always thought Mitsui and Rukawa were the cutest characters in Slam Dunk. Seeing that they didn't have any love interest in the anime, I decided to see if my imagination can put some...shall we say, love in their life. Hehe...(",) This is also slightly AU so I hope it doesn't confuse you when I don't follow some of the events in the series. Hope you enjoy my story! Oh, yeah, reviews wouldn't hurt a bit. Unless their flames...(",) Enjoy!

Chapter 1: A Ghost from the Past

Shellagh opened her eyes into slits, unaccustomed to the bright morning sun shining through her window. She opened her eyes wider, taking the sight of the beginnings of unpacking littering the floor. She was still sleepy; comfortable in her soft ensconced body under the covers. She stretched a bit, after which she found herself dozing off. From afar, she thought she heard slamming doors and pounding footsteps but thought it was her imagination. Zoë cannot be awake so early in the morning. She was a complete sleepyhead, sleeping away the hours. But the sounds behind her door were unmistakable. Doors and footsteps. 

Shellagh groaned. If Zoë was awake, every person in the house who wasn't was going to be soon. She burrowed herself under the covers deeply, trying to bar the sounds she was hearing from the other side of her door. Soon, she found herself praying. "Please...Please...Please...No..."

A bundle of excited energy shoved the door open and jumped on Shellagh. "Rise and shine, Shellagh!" it cheerily exclaimed.

Shellagh rebounded from her twin sister's movement on her bed, jolting her more fully awake. She sighed loudly and looked at Zoë. She was wearing their new school uniform, looking very pretty and cheerful with a big smile on her face. Shellagh groaned again. "What are you doing awake, Zoë? We just got here yesterday."

"What does that have to do with anything? I want to go to school!" answered Zoë, pulling the blankets from Shellagh and grabbing her arm to a sitting position. "Get dressed now."

Shellagh shook her head. "Don't wanna...we agreed to go next week. I'm not ready to go to school yet."

"You agreed but I didn't," said Zoë. "Come on, it's better this way. At least you wouldn't feel as nervous next week if we go today. We can grab the bull's balls as early as possible."

Despite her sudden apprehension to go to a school she knew nothing and no one about, she laughed at her sister. "Bull's balls? Where did you learn that?"

Zoë grinned back. "I watched the rerun of Never Been Kissed last night. I thought that phrase is appropriate right now. Hey, no changing the subject! Go get ready."

"But, Zoë! I don't want to go." Shellagh grasped on one thought that might change Zoë's mind. "Do you honestly want to go and do homework already? Study for quizzes? Exams?!"

"Get out of here, that's my life you're talking about," Zoë answered emphatically, a teasing grin on her face.

Shellagh rolled her eyes. "You know, I have to get to terms of the inevitability of our never-ending situation. I can't face another new school again."

"You always say that! But it never works. Besides, I'll be with you, doesn't that ease your mind that I'm here?"

"Well, you're different, Zoë. You like to talk to other people and I don't. I'm so shy I feel like a wallflower!"

Zoë snorted derisively. "No you're not! No one who looks like you would look like a wallflower. We do have the same genes you know."

Shellagh looked at a mirror standing across from them, showing their reflection. They looked like day and night, complete opposites of each other. Zoë was always cheerful, energetic and curious much like a cat. Her short white-blond hair was fine and straight, framing a pair of dark green eyes and ending just at her chin. She also had an athletic body and skin tanned from the sun. Zoë was the outgoing sister, always wanting to join sports clubs: rowing, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer and any other sport she has the mind to try. She would pursue anything that she wanted.

Shellagh, on the other hand, was the quiet sister, contented to stay indoors and read books or use her computer. Her looks completed her silent personality. Her long wavy black hair, blue eyes and pale complexion gave her such a poetic look that matched her so well. She was as curious as her sister was but she hid it mostly to herself. Zoë would talk to people about anything that catches her attention. She didn't care what others thought of her and Shellagh always found that amazing of her sister. But again, that was Zoë's personality.

People were always surprised that they were twins, both looking so different from the other. But they were born from the same mother and on the same night, just a couple minutes apart. Though they didn't look identical, they were as close as two peas in a pod.

Shellagh looked at her floor and saw another way out. She pointed. "I have to unpack all my things and that would probably give me the whole day to do. Let's just not go today."

Zoë shook her head. "I refuse to even acknowledge that. Get dressed or else I'll tell every person in our new school your deepest, darkest secrets."

"Ha!" scoffed Shellagh. "As if I have any. In that case, I'll definitely stay."

Zoë quoted, "Jason is soo cute...his eyes...lips..."

Shellagh crossed her arms across her chest and glared at her. "If you do that, you know I'll never speak to you again. Stop reading my journal!"

"I will when you get dressed right now. See you in 5 minutes." Zoë winked at her sister before she left the room.

Shellagh sighed and headed to the bathroom. She knew her sister would not stop hounding her until she was dressed and ready to go to school.

Shellagh walked beside her sister, her steps slowing down as soon as she saw the building of a school looming in the horizon. She absolutely hated first days of school, as much as she hated moving days, which she had experienced plenty of. She disliked meeting new people because often she had nothing to say to them and that embarrassed her.

Zoë glanced at her twin, moving so slowly, a turtle would have passed her and been in the finish line way before Shellagh would have started. She rolled her eyes in exasperation at her twin. She always told her that she shouldn't feel shy. Shellagh was okay around people she was friends with but it completely boggled Zoë why it wasn't the same for new friends. They were just people!

"Shellagh, spotted any cute guys around?" she asked for distraction. "I think I saw one enter the school just now. He was tall and wearing what looks like a varsity jacket."

Shellagh laughed at her sister's outrageous question but she knew what the purpose of it was. Zoë was trying to distract her from what she was feeling. "Nope, none yet. But I'll tell you when I do," she answered in stride.

Zoë pulled Shellagh faster. "Then let's go! There must be a lot inside the school. I can't wait to go to our classroom right away."

"Hey! Wait! We need to go to the principal's office first!" Shellagh called out.

Zoë laughed, excitement evident in her voice. "So, let's hurry!"

Shellagh looked at the pink cards that contained their class schedules. "That's strange. Why don't we have Literature together? I thought we're in the same section."

The principal spoke behind the desk. "With your excellent grades in literature, you are placed in the 3rd year level. We feel that the 1st year Literature would not benefit your intelligence in this subject."

Zoë beamed at Shellagh. "I do have one smart twin."

Shellagh gave her a slight smile but turned to the principal again. "But why wasn't I informed of this? Don't you at least give a notice first to students like me?"

The principal regarded her above his glasses. "I called yesterday afternoon and you said it was fine. Are you saying that you don't want to be placed in this class anymore? I assure you Ms. Riechtmann, you will enjoy this class."

Shellagh flashed a look at her sister. "Oh, you must be mistaken, sir. You must have talked to my sister, Zoë, about this for I don't remember agreeing to be transferred to a higher level class."

The principal looked astonishingly to the other sister. "Is this true, Ms. Riechtmann?"

Zoë gave a guilty smile to both persons. "I'm sorry, sir. I agreed for my sister because I know she would like the class very much. I remember plenty of times she complained of inferior Literature classes from before so I thought assenting for her would make her happy."

"You could have just told me, Zoë," said Shellagh coolly. "I would have answered for myself."

"I was going to tell you but I forgot, honest! I'm sorry."

The principal looked at Shellagh. "Well, do you accept the acceleration in this class?"

Shellagh glanced over at Zoë. She also remembered many times that she hated the Lit classes she used to take before. They were boring and unchallenging. She wanted a class that would make her think of new ideas and stretch her mind to accommodate new knowledge. This class with the 3rd year seems to be the class she was looking for but all those new people...

Shellagh bit her lip in indecision, unable to reply but Zoë squeezed her shoulder for support that she finally made up her mind and reluctantly answered, "I...accept."

The principal nodded. "That's fine then. Welcome to Shohoku High, girls. My secretary will show you your classroom."

"Shellagh, I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to do this to you. Well, actually I did, but it was for your own good! It would expose you to new people and it would help you develop your people skills."

Shellagh let Zoë grovel for a few minutes as they followed the secretary to their classroom. After awhile, she replied, "I know you did it for my good but it doesn't mean that I have to like what you did."

Zoë sighed in relief inwardly. Shellagh was no longer angry. She placed an arm around her sister's shoulders. "I know and I apologize. You forgive me?"

Shellagh shook her head in exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Smile and say we're friends again?" suggested Zoë.

"Fine." Shellagh smiled and said, "We're friends again."

"Sisters for life?"

Shellagh laughed. "As if that can change between us."

Zoë whooped so loudly that the secretary turned around and shushed her. Zoë gave the woman an apologetic smile that seemed to pacify the secretary. When the woman turned around again, Zoë dug her elbow into Shellagh's side, making her smile back.

When they reached the door to their classroom, the secretary entered, giving a piece of paper to the teacher. Then she summoned the two girls to enter the room. She left right after.

The class was in a buzz when Zoë and Shellagh entered the room. They were tall for their age and striking that all the attention was on them.

"Class, it looks like we have two new students who will be joining us." The small male teacher smiled kindly at them. "Which of you is Zoë?"

Zoë stepped forward with a big smile on her face. "I am," she answered confidently.

"Class, this is Zoë Riechtmann," the teacher addressed the students sitting behind their desks. He turned to Shellagh. "Then you must be Shellagh Riechtmann."

Shellagh nodded, her demeanor cool and quiet.

"Are the two of you cousins? Both of you have the same last name and age."

Shellagh shook her head. "No, sir. We are twins."

"Twins!" exclaimed the teacher. "Wow, fraternal twins. That's why both of you don't look alike. That's great."

Zoë grinned. "We think so, too," she replied flippantly, making the class smile at her.

"Well, go ahead and take your seats and I'll start my lecture."

The class groaned and Shellagh thought he must be a new teacher with his easygoing personality. Most teachers she knew were old and all of them were strict. 

There weren't any seats that would put the two sisters beside each other, so Shellagh found herself sitting beside a girl, named Haruko. She smiled at her but felt her tongue drying up. She didn't know what to say. She sought out Zoë and found her sister in the circle of boys.

Shellagh wove through the throng of students in the lunchroom, looking for her sister. They were separated from each other because of the crowd and haven't spotted her yet. Since she was taller than most people were, she got to use her height in advantage. A waving hand caught her attention and she saw Zoë sitting on one of the tables. She wasn't alone though. Shellagh recognized the girl, Haruko, as one of the people she met earlier. She still didn't know what to say.

Shellagh nodded to her sister and moved towards her. Suddenly, a push almost made her fall that it placed her right into someone's arms. "Hey. Are you alright?" asked the one who caught her in time before she would've fallen flat on her face.

Shellagh was about to answer when she looked up and gasped in surprise. "M-Mi-chan?"

The tall dark-haired boy looked down at her and recognition showed on his face. "Shellagh. What are you – How can you be –"

Zoë suddenly appeared before Mitsui could even think of the right question. "Mitsui. We didn't know you studied here," Zoë said, her voice tinged with scorn. She pointedly looked at his wrapped arms around her sister and glared at him.

Mitsui removed his arms around Shellagh, his face unreadable. He glanced at her and asked, "Are you okay now? You were pushed because of the crowd and I was only trying to help."

Shellagh's mind was still in a daze. "Mi-chan."

Zoë pushed between her sister and Mitsui. "Thank you very much for your heroic stunt. I'll make sure you get a medal." She pulled her sister behind her, wanting to separate the two as much as possible. Shellagh just looked back at him as she was dragged along.

"Shellagh!" hissed Zoë. "You are not turning all soft on him, are you? Remember, he left you!"

Shellagh shook her head from the memories that rushed through her mind. "Yeah, he did. I cried for a whole month."

Zoë nodded satisfactorily. "Yes, I'm glad you remember. Don't ever talk to him again."

Shellagh wanted to look back at him so bad but she knew Zoë would get angry with her. She couldn't believe out of all places, Mitsui would turn up here. That brought more memories from the past.

"Hey, Mitsui. Who's that girl you were talking to?" asked Ryota, walking beside him on the way to the indoor basketball gym. "She's pretty."

Mitsui was looking from afar, his face shuttered. "Isn't Ayako your girlfriend? Why are you asking about another girl?"

"Figured as much," said Ryota, looking at Mitsui with a nod.

Mitsui glanced at him sharply. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I figured that girl you were talking to was an old friend with a past."

Mitsui hunched his shoulders forward. "None of your business."

Ryota sniffed. "I figured as much, too."

Mitsui saw Shellagh's smiling face clearly in his mind. An image that was burned in his thoughts forever from a past he wanted to change.

***

Shellagh found herself staring at the ceiling of her room, unable to sleep. _Mi-chan_. She never thought she would ever see him again. It was a long time ago when she wished she did just to return things the way they were. But seeing him again was too sudden, so unexpected that it left her shocked. She remembered him as someone very special to her. More than a friend, but lesser than a boyfriend. They never even kissed.

Shellagh stood up and dragged one of the boxes still littering her floor. She opened it and rummaged through it. An old picture came into her hand and Shellagh looked at it grimly. Mitsui had longer hair then, looking so boyish and sweet. He had his arm around her and both of them were smiling at the camera. She laid the picture down and looked for something else in the box. After a moment, she found her old journal. She flipped the pages until it stopped at a particular passage.

__

I saw Mitsui again. I can't believe that I talked to a stranger! Usually, I don't know what to say. But with him, it seemed that I could do it. He's really nice, always laughing. I'm glad that he's spending his summer here. I can't wait to see him tomorrow. He's going to teach me how to play basketball. Me! A geek to the core and couch potato at heart will try to be athletic. I hope Zoë can give me some pointers for tomorrow.

Shellagh flipped several pages in her journal and stopped at another passage.

__

We had a lot of fun today! We went to the carnival with Zoë and her latest boyfriend. Mitsui coerced me to ride the roller coaster with him. It was so scary! I couldn't stop shivering afterwards. Mitsui was so guilty that he took me to the boat rides to calm me down. I have to write this down because it was so perfect. Well, almost. He almost kissed me.

Shellagh moved to the last passage of the book.

__

I don't know what happened! He's gone. Gone! Why did he leave when things were going great between us? I thought we had something special. I thought I found the guy I can actually picture myself having a relationship with. No note, no phone call, nothing from him! Will I ever see him again?

***

AN: What do you think? I hope you guys enjoyed it so far. Hope to get a lot of reviews on this one! (Hint, hint) One more thing before I go, you must have noticed Shellagh in the story. Well, you might wonder if this is a self-insertion fic or not because a lot of my friends who read this story kept asking me if it was me. My answer would have to be a big, fat N-O. Nope, this is not me. I just love the name and so used it in my story. It's not even my real name! (",) So, sorry if I made you wonder or confused or whatever. Well, I hope you give me reviews! Thanks.


	2. Zoë's Turn

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Okay, here's the 2nd chapter! Hope you enjoy it. I also want to thank those people who reviewed chapter one. Thanks a lot! (",)

Chapter 2: Zoë's Turn

Zoë was humming while walking to school by her self. Her sister said she wasn't feeling so good, that she couldn't come to class but Zoë knew Shellagh didn't want to get a chance to see Mitsui. 

Zoë's eyes darkened with anger. She remembered him as someone good for her sister. Someone who urged Shellagh to come out of her shell and be a little more confident with herself. But Mitsui left with no word at all, breaking her twin's heart. That was what made Shellagh withdraw more from people and made Zoë more protective. She vowed she'd never let anyone hurt Shellagh ever again.

Zoë suddenly yelped when someone bumped her to the side and pushed her to the ground. "Ouch!" She looked up and saw the back of a boy on a bike, continuing on his way to wherever he was going, as if he never hit her on the back.

Zoë glared at his head and gingerly stood up. She had a bruise that felt like the size of Japan but otherwise she was fine. She was going to get back at that idiot as she noticed the word "SHOHOKU" at the back of his jacket. She'll find a way.

When Zoë entered the classroom, she immediately saw the same guy who ran her over, sitting at the back of the room with his head on the table, near the seat she sat the day before. Though his face was hidden, she knew it was the same guy because of his varsity jacket and dark hair. She then remembered he was the one who was sleeping the whole day with drool pooling near his face on the table. Yuck.

Before she was able to stalk right over and do bodily harm, Haruko approached her. "Good morning, Zoë!" greeted the friendly girl. When she noticed no one was following Zoë into the classroom, she asked, "Where's Shellagh?"

Zoë gave her a strained smile, trying to rein in her temper. "She's not feeling well, Haruko. All this moving around has done little good to her. But I think she'll be fine tomorrow."

"Oh, that's too bad. Well, tell her I hope she gets well soon."

Zoë's temper faded a little. "Yes, I will." When Haruko turned away to walk to her seat, Zoë immediately called her back again and said, "Uh, Haruko-chan, who is that guy sitting at the back?"

Haruko turned back around and blushed when she saw who it was. "That's Rukawa Kaede, Shohoku's ace in basketball."

Zoë glanced at the girl's red cheeks and starry eyes. "Let me guess, he's the most sought-after guy in this school."

Haruko nodded. "Yes, he even has his own cheering squad. He's my first crush, ever since I saw him do a dunk. But I have Sakuragi now so I don't feel the same way. But I do still remember the first few times I saw him." She glanced at Zoë. "Why?"

Zoë shook her head, blond hair swaying. "Nothing, just curious. I don't remember seeing him yesterday."

"He's mostly asleep during classes that teachers get angry with him all the time. Even when he's awake, he doesn't talk that much to anyone. The only thing that he really shows any speech at all is in basketball and that's not very much. He usually pisses Sakuragi off, too. Do you want me to introduce you?"

__

Not much of a people-person, are you? "Sure, I would like to get to know more people in this school."

Both girls walked over to the slumped form of Rukawa, already sleeping and the first class hasn't even started. Haruko tapped his shoulder. "Rukawa, may I have a minute of your time?"

Rukawa lifted his head and aimed sleepy eyes toward her. "Haruko?"

Haruko moved aside for him to notice Zoë. "I want you to meet one of the new students of our class, Rukawa. This is Zoë Riechtmann."

Rukawa took in the tall, slim frame, the pretty face and the short blond hair. His eyes widened a little. Zoë hid her surprise with a grin. _Okay, he's cute. It doesn't mean anything. I won't stop being angry with him just because his eyes seem to know secrets about me. Get a grip with yourself, Zoë_!

Zoë kept her grin and stretched out her hand. "Hi, nice meeting you."

Rukawa looked at her offered hand. After a moment, he lifted his hand and shook hers. "Rukawa Kaede."

Zoë refused to acknowledge the heat that shot up her arm. She took her hand away and quickly replied, "Well, see you around." She walked away, her heart pounding.

__

What the hell was that? Zoë shook her head. She can't be distracted from her plan to get back at him. She won't! If only...

Haruko followed her to her seat and whispered excitedly, "Cute, huh?"

"Yeah, real cute," muttered Zoë.

Shellagh was unpacking her books and putting them on the shelves when she heard stomping feet come up the stairs. "Zoë," she muttered. She moved around the room, the floor clear of boxes and clothes. She was about to drop on the bed when Zoë entered looking furious. 

Shellagh sat on the bed and studied her sister. "What's wrong?"

Zoë paced the length of the room. "I met this guy," she bit out.

"Okay. He must've been really cute with you working on a snit. What does he look like?"

"Tall, black hair, blue eyes."

Shellagh shook her head in impatience. "Well, do I have to drag it out of you? What happened? Why are you angry?"

Zoë exploded. "Because he's gorgeous! He's taller than I am! He's an athlete!"

Shellagh rolled her eyes. "So what? They're all the qualities you like in a guy. What happened, Zoë? I swear, you're really unreasonable when you're angry."

"He also ran me over this morning," she muttered.

"What?!" gasped Shellagh. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just got a bruise out of it," Zoë answered, brushing her sister's hands away. "He's such a bad driver on a bike."

Shellagh stared at her sister and then murmured sympathetically, "Ah."

Zoë turned around to glare at her. "What do you mean 'Ah'?"

"It means I know what's bugging you, dear sister. But let me guess, since this is more fun. You didn't see his face when he ran you over, which after that incident, you were thinking of getting back at him, due to your vengeful nature. But when you saw him again, you found out that he was this really attractive guy that now you're thinking twice if you'll still get back at him. Have I gotten it right?"

Zoë's shoulders sagged and she flopped on the bed beside her sister. "You do know me very well," she sighed.

Shellagh placed an arm around her shoulders. "Oh, Zoë, Zoë, Zoë," she clucked. "You really are a sucker for a guy's pretty face."

Zoë leaned heavily on her side. "What can I say? I have my own weaknesses."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm still going to make him pay. I asked Haruko about him this morning so I have this half-formed plan in my head. I'll let you know if I'm sure on what to do."

Shellagh sighed. "I know for a fact that you won't change your mind once you think of something like this."

"Damn right I won't!" Zoë then glanced at her sister and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. All thoughts of her revenge on Rukawa flew out of her mind. "Since we're having this little talk, what are you going to do with Mitsui around?"

Shellagh withdrew from her sister at the mention of Mitsui's name. "Nothing."

"What do you mean 'nothing'? You have to do something! WE can do something against him! He hurt you before and now is the time to hurt him back!"

"You're bloodthirsty all of a sudden," replied Shellagh, amusement in her voice. But she sobered. "No, I don't want to talk about it."

"Shellagh, you're doing it again! You're shutting me out just because of this guy!"

Shellagh patted her sister's shoulder and then stood up. "I'm sorry, Zoë. I just don't want to talk about him anymore. He's in the past and talking about him now would only make me remember what I felt before. I've spent years of forgetting him. I just want him out of my life."

Zoë looked at her with sardonic eyes. "How can you do that when you'll be seeing him everyday?"

"I won't be seeing him. The first year students are separated from the third year students and I can eat lunch somewhere else. It wouldn't be impossible."

"You're forgetting something, Shellagh. You accepted a third year level class. Even if you're not in the same Lit class, you'll still be in his building."

Shellagh pressed her forehead on the bedroom door, almost whimpering. "Then I won't talk to him. I'll act like he's not around."

Zoë sighed. "If I were you I would have thought of a way to get back at him but since I'm not, then I guess that's the only thing you can do." She hugged her sister and whispered, "I wish you never met him. I wish he never hurt you this way."

"I know." Shellagh hugged her back and then moved away again. "Let's go, Zoë girl, we need to help Mom fix dinner."

Zoë followed her out the door but she felt her sister's pain in her more than ever.

***

Reviews please!!! :p


	3. To Read or Not To Read

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Hope you also enjoy reading chapter 3. Thanks a lot to those who reviewed chapter 1. 

Chapter 3: To Read or Not To Read

Shellagh entered her Lit class, conscious of all the people staring at her. She hated being the center of attention that as much as possible she avoided incidents like these. She gave a pink slip to the teacher and waited to be directed to a seat.

"Okay, everyone, this is Shellagh Riechtmann. She will be joining our class from this day onwards. Shellagh, you may be seated at the vacant chair at the window."

Shellagh glanced at the appointed chair and a whispered groan escaped her lips. Mitsui was sitting behind the vacant chair and looking at her with a shuttered expression on his face. She moved slowly, feeling her body get heavier and heavier. _I can't believe this is happening to me. Why does he have to be in this class?_

Shellagh sat on the chair, her back stiff as a board. She tried to listen to what the teacher was saying but her heart was beating so loud in her chest that she was afraid everyone in the room heard it.

A folded piece of paper was pushed at the back of her elbow. She ignored it when she saw that it was from Mitsui. She was going to ignore him, right? The paper was pushed at her elbow insistently. She moved forward, breaking the contact. When the bell rang she stood up so fast that all the contents of her bag cluttered on the floor. She immediately knelt down to gather her things. Someone dropped beside her. "May I help you?"

Shellagh looked up and saw a giant. She lost her voice. The giant didn't wait for a reply. He picked up the notebooks and papers and gave it to her. "Here you go."

"T-thank you," she stuttered. She closed her bag and stood up, not noticing Mitsui standing behind the giant. Even with her height, her head only reached the giant's chest. She steeled herself and reached out a hand. "I-I'm Shellagh."

The giant clasped her hand in hers. "I'm Takenori Akagi."

Shellagh nodded and took her hand away. "Thanks again."

Akagi smiled kindly at her and said, "See you around, Shellagh."

She nodded again and left the room. She didn't see Akagi turn to the glaring Mitsui and said, "Your girlfriend, Mitsui?"

"None of you business, Akagi."

Akagi looked at him squarely. "It's going to be my business when it's going to affect your game. I saw the way you looked when she entered and the way you kept giving that note to her, which you finally hid in her bag."

"It's nothing, Akagi. Forget it." He moved towards the door. But Akagi stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can talk to me anytime, Mitsui. I'm your captain and your friend."

Mitsui nodded and walked past him.

Shellagh sighed heavily as soon as she reached her locker. _That was rough_. _I can't believe he's my classmate! How can I ignore him when all I can think of is asking him why he left me? How can I concentrate in class when he's right there behind me?_ Shellagh closed her eyes and tried to forget the look on his face when he saw her. He looked cautious, as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to see her. He looked as if he didn't know what to do with her. _Why does it hurt so much?_

Shellagh sighed again and opened her locker. She rummaged in her bag to get the books she didn't need for the next class when a piece of paper fluttered on the floor. She picked it up and recognized it as the note Mitsui was trying to give to her earlier. He finally found a way for her to read it. A small burst of hope erupted in her heart, which she quickly squelched. She didn't know what the note said so she can't feel that everything was going to be all right between them. Besides, she was going to ignore him. She was going to act that he didn't exist.

Shellagh stopped by the garbage can and lifted the note over the opening of the can. A moment of indecision paralyzed her from throwing the paper. _What if it was an apology or an explanation? _Shellagh suddenly heard Zoë's voice whisper in her mind,_ If it was, how would you deal with it, Shellagh? Will you still ignore him or become his friend again?_

Shellagh bit her lip. _What am I going to do?_ She looked at the piece of paper and breathed deeply. She was going to read it. She started opening the letter when somebody pounded on her back, making her to let go of the paper. It fluttered inside the trashcan. 

"Shellagh!" greeted Zoë cheerily. "How's Lit class? I hope you didn't see that what's-his-face."

Shellagh stared forlornly at the trashcan, unable to answer her sister. She lost the paper in the garbage. She was never going to read the letter.

"Hello? Shellagh?" Zoë waved a hand in front of her sister's eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

Shellagh snapped out of her stupor. "N-Nothing is wrong, Zoë."

"Why are you staring at the garbage can looking like you lost a best friend? Since, I'm still here, it couldn't be that important," she joked while wiggling her eyebrows to make Shellagh laugh.

Shellagh retaliated by elbowing her sister. She knew that Zoë was going to get angry if she had any connection with Mitsui, so she lied instead. "What are you talking about? I just threw away some trash."

Zoë frowned slightly but then gained back her cheery self and started chattering. "Which reminds me, Shellagh, Haruko Akagi invited us to her house along with other girls in our class. Sort of a slumber party the weekend after next, next week."

"Akagi?" An image of the giant entered Shellagh's mind. "Does Haruko have a brother in the third level?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. She mentioned him a couple of times. You know she's a basketball fan like I am and she told me that her brother is the captain of the basketball club in Shohoku. Cool, huh?"

Shellagh nodded again. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"I met him in my Lit class. I dropped all of my things on the floor and he helped me."

Zoë was intrigued. "Really! Any romantic entanglements?"

Shellagh laughed. "Of course not, Zoë! You should have seen him. He's taller than both of us combined."

Zoë laughed along with her and kept on chattering, forgetting to ask about her twin's Lit class, altogether forgetting about Mitsui, which Shellagh was absolutely grateful for.

***

Haruko opened the door and shooed the girls inside the house. "Hello! Come on in. Everyone is in my room."

"We're sorry we're a bit late. Our parents wanted the kitchen to be in order before we left."

Haruko shook her head. "That's ok. You're not that late."

Shellagh and Zoë entered and immediately noticed the giant coming down the stairs. Shellagh immediately waved, feeling at ease with the elder Akagi. She found out that though he looked very intimidating, he was actually pretty friendly. He usually would find a way to talk to her before class started or even after. He would walk her to her room, which made her classmates tease her about him. But she always told them that they were just friends.

Mitsui never tried giving her a note anymore. She didn't know what to feel about that. Just that she was slowly accepting his presence in the school and trying to forget the past ever happened.

Zoë slapped a high five with Akagi. "Hey captain! Still want to try to defeat me?"

Akagi's laughter rumbled. "You're good, Riechtmann. But you'll never be as good as me."

Zoë tried to look insulted but her face melted into a smile. "Keep on dreaming, Akagi."

It was amazing how time flew so fast. Shellagh remembered the first day of school. She was so nervous that she hardly talked to anyone but now, she had a lot of friends and thought that nothing can ever be better than this. She didn't know what it was in Shohoku but she was enjoying herself more around this people than others she had met before. Their family always moved around because of her father's job and she hated moving more than ever, unable to establish her roots, her continuity. But maybe in this place it was possible. Her father hasn't mentioned yet of moving anytime soon.

Shellagh looked at Zoë and Akagi, joking around. Zoë met him when Haruko insisted that they go to one of the club's practices after school. Haruko had introduced Zöe to her brother and as with other people, Zoë immediately settled into a friendship with him. As far as Shellagh knew, Zoë hasn't done her revenge to Rukawa yet, which made Shellagh curious on what her sister was planning. Zoë pretended not to notice the ace player but she was there in every practice with Haruko, her eyes always following Rukawa's play. Shellagh wouldn't, of course, go with them to the gym since she found out that Mitsui was a member of the club but Haruko would always tell her about Zoë's obvious infatuation. She wasn't sure if it was really infatuation or revenge. Knowing her sister, it could be both. Whichever way works for her.

Akagi turned to her and smiled. "Hey, ready for the major exam?"

"Do I look like Shakespeare?" Shellagh quipped, which made him laugh. "Want to study together? With the two of us, we may pass this exam."

Akagi nodded. "Sure, how about Monday night? I have practice in the gym so you can meet me there after."

Shellagh never went near the gym for fear of seeing Mitsui. She didn't want to see him more than she wanted to see him in class. But without telling Akagi the reason why she always avoided the place, she agreed. "I'll be there." Shellagh turned to Haruko and Zoë and heard the end of their conversation, which was, "Ok, I'll be there too!"

Shellagh raised an eyebrow. "What are you guys talking about?"

"We're going, too. It reminded us that we have a group presentation in our own Lit class," answered Haruko.

Zoë nodded. "With the two of you here, you can help us ace our presentation big time!"

"What?!" exclaimed Shellagh. "You'll probably hoist the assignment on us."

Akagi folded his big arms across his chest. "Yeah."

Haruko and Zoë looked at the two innocently. "Would we do that to you guys when we know you're studying for a big exam?"

Shellagh exchanged glances with Akagi. "What do you think?"

Akagi shrugged. "We'll just punish the two when they do."

Shellagh grinned. "Alright! Zoë, I have a powerful backup here so if you guys do try to let us do your work, he can swallow you both whole."

Zoë sniffed. "As if we'll do it. Right, Haruko?"

Haruko also sniffed, her nose up in the air. "Yeah."

"Okay, see you on Monday, Akagi." Shellagh moved towards the foot of the stairs, waiting for Haruko to lead the way.

Haruko ushered both girls up to her room, where the slumber party was underway.

Rukawa looked up and saw a shadow of white blond hair by the door. She was here again, always watching him with eyes that hid her thoughts. He didn't know if he was going to be irritated or flattered with the attention, but he was probably going to be irritated like with his other admirers. They really pissed him off with their shrieks and their cries. They were also very persistent in following him around. But then this girl was different though. She neither shrieked nor cried. She didn't follow him around. She only watched him in practices that he was pretty sure the girl wanted something from him.

Zoë noticed him watching her and her skin prickled in awareness. He never said a word to her about her watching him in every practice after school. He was either irritated or indifferent but those looks he often gave her didn't seem apathetic to her.

Zoë looked at the other players, while Haruko was cheering Sakuragi. Sakuragi looked mean, shouting at the other players with his big growling voice. But she knew for a fact he was actually a big softie where Haruko was concerned. He always blushed around her, stuttering sentences. Zoë thought that that was so cute and was never intimidated by him. She saw Mitsui shoot the ball in the basket, gaining 3 points for his team. She had to admit that he was good. But she didn't talk to him more than Shellagh ever did to him.

"You can do it, Sakuragi!" cheered Haruko at Zoë's side. She has been cheering for the past half-hour and there seemed to be no sign of stopping. Sakuragi, on the other hand, was enjoying the attention Haruko was giving him that he played with more energy and vigor.

Zoë checked her watch. "I wonder what's taking Shellagh's time. She said she was just going to check a book in the library."

Haruko stopped for a moment from her cheering to answer, "Maybe she couldn't find the book."

"Hmm...Maybe I should help her if that's the case."

Haruko shook her head. "I don't think you need to. She'll be along."

"Are you sure? I don't know."

"I'm sure. Oneechan will wait for her if she comes later. Actually, we don't really need to wait for her since her plan is with my brother."

Zoë shot her an amused expression. "Then what are we doing here?"

"Watching Sakuragi," answered Haruko, her smile mischievous.

Zoë looked at Rukawa one last time and then nudged Haruko on their way. "Let's go, Haruko. Lover boy can wait."

Haruko blushed and then waved to Sakuragi, which he answered, with a wave of his own. Zoë mimed to Akagi that they were leaving and the captain nodded his head.

Shellagh hurried to the gym, hoping to catch up to Zoë and the others. That stupid book that she had to borrow for a report in one of her classes hadn't turned up until the very last minute. She was relieved that the librarian finally found it among a different section of books but Shellagh was anxious that her friends and sister left already. 

When the sight of the gym came into view, Shellagh slowed her walk, catching her breath. She was afraid that she would see Mitsui and she hoped she didn't because she didn't know how to face him. She turned towards the entrance of the gym and almost bumped into someone. She looked up and silently groaned. _Why is it every time I think of him, he suddenly appears?_ She lowered her head and moved aside, looking for any sign of Zoë, Haruko or Akagi inside.

Mitsui looked at her. _Why is it every time I think of her, she suddenly appears?_ He studied the profile of her pale face and brilliant blue eyes._ She still looks like an angel. _ He cleared his throat and started, "Shellagh."

Shellagh froze. _He spoke. He actually spoke my name._ She looked at him, her face trying to be impassive. "Y-Yes?"

"Did you get my note?"

__

Note? What note? Oh, THAT note. Oh, boy. Shellagh nodded, not saying a word.

"Well...Can we talk?"

Shellagh didn't know what to say. _He wanted to talk? Do I want to talk to him? Do I want to bring out the memories I have tried to forget? I don't know if I –_

"Shellagh, sorry for waiting." Akagi walked towards the pair, his gym bag slung over his shoulder and looking fresh from the shower.

Shellagh smiled weakly at him and tried to find her voice. "It's all right, Akagi. I just got here."

Mitsui looked at them both, wanting to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. Akagi glanced at him and inclined his head. "Mitsui, you know Shellagh, right?"

Mitsui just nodded, looking at Shellagh in concealed confusion. "We go way back."

Shellagh shivered slightly at the deepness of his voice. It was only now that she remembered how his voice really sounded. "Yeah, way back."

Akagi moved his head slowly back and forth, then straightened. "Well, we have to go." Shellagh nodded and walked outside. She could feel Mitsui's eyes following her. Akagi turned to Mitsui. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mitsui."

Mitsui barely heard him. All he was seeing was the captain and Shellagh together. _Why are they together? I didn't know that Akagi befriended Shellagh. What is going on between those two?_ He frowned. He shouldn't have waited too long. He thought if he gave her a little space, she'd put her guard down and she would be able to talk to him and he would be able to explain what happened before. Then the two of them might be able to resume what they left hanging years ago. But that was not the case. Shellagh was still not speaking to him and obviously, something is going on between her and Akagi. He did see them walking together after class more than once.

"Shit," he muttered, as he left the gym and walked the way home.

Akagi glanced at Shellagh. "Are you alright?"

Shellagh looked at him with a fake smile on her lips. "Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

Akagi glanced away. "You don't look like it."

Shellagh sighed. "It seems that you noticed something wrong between Mitsui and I."

"I noticed from the first day you joined our Lit class. Everyone saw how he kept giving you the piece of paper but you ignored him the whole time."

"Everyone saw?"

Akagi moved his head to the side. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you. Zoë tried to diffuse any rumors that might come out of it. She also told us not to mention anything about Mitsui to you."

"So, Zoë knows that that happened. I didn't tell her because I was afraid she might do something to Mitsui and create a bigger thing than it already is. Did Zoë tell you what happened?"

"No, she didn't."

"Oh."

Akagi touched her arm lightly. "You want to talk about it?"

Shellagh shrugged. "Maybe."

"Try me."

Shellagh looked at him uncertainly and then started her tale. "He was spending the summer in our town along with a few friends. Even before, Mitsui and I kept bumping into each other. After a couple of times, Zoë finally talked to him and she introduced him to me. From that time, we became inseparable. And so, everyday of that summer, we would go out with our friends and spend time with each other. 

"I really liked spending time with him because he always made me laugh. He made me forget that moving into that town was the biggest crisis of my life. I hated moving around the country so much and he also made me forget that I was never good with meeting new people. He gave me confidence I never knew I had. He was really good to me. 

"I thought that we had this connection with each other that I've never felt with anyone. But then one day, he just...disappeared. He didn't show up in my house when he said he would. He didn't call or even leave a note. Even his friends couldn't say why he left. Ever since then, I never saw him. Until now."

"Has he tried talking to you?"

"Yes, but I never know what to say. I'm also afraid of knowing why he left so suddenly. It could've been me. There must be something wrong with me that's why he left."

Akagi shook his head. "No, I don't believe that. There is nothing wrong with you."

Shellagh smiled somberly at him. "Thanks."

"When was this summer? A year ago or something?"

"Two years ago. I was still in junior high and he was entering high school."

Something clicked inside Akagi's mind and was silent for awhile. After what seemed the longest time, he finally spoke, "I think you should talk to him. He might tell you of a reason you never really thought of."

"You want me to go to him? I don't know..."

"Shellagh, if you want to work things out with him, then you should."

Shellagh looked up at him. "Do you know something? You must know a reason if you're saying I should clear things with him."

Akagi shrugged. "Maybe I know something. But I shouldn't be the one to tell you and I'm not forcing you to talk with him if you don't really want to."

"I don't know if I want to," cried Shellagh, frustratingly.

Akagi placed an arm around her comfortingly. "Then you should figure that out first before you decide on what to do."

Shellagh leaned into her friend's comfort and after a moment of silence, said, "Don't tell this to Zoë. She's really protective of me and she might not understand. I don't know for sure what I'm going to do. But if ever I gain the courage to speak with him, I want that just between the two of us."

Akagi squeezed her shoulders gently. "I won't tell."

"Thank you again, Akagi."

Mitsui followed silently behind the pair. He was supposed to go straight home but the image of Shellagh and Akagi didn't want to go away from his mind. At the very last minute, he turned around and ran after the two and he had been following them ever since. They looked like they were talking and of what, he couldn't hear. Then he saw Akagi put his arm around Shellagh. He couldn't believe his eyes. _Akagi? And Shellagh? But...So they are together. Akagi took her away from me._ Mitsui could feel his eyes water but tears did not fall. He felt anger and resentment instead, welling up inside him and swallowing his heart whole. _My angel had already chosen._ He stopped and turned around, walking away from his heart.

***

Reviews please!!!


	4. The Guilt and The Revenge

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks to all those people who gave my story reviews! (",) You made my head swell. Hehe...well, I loved writing this chapter because compared from the other chapters, this one is done in a lighter note. I hope you guys also enjoy reading it. Thanks again!

Chapter 4: The Guilt and Revenge

Shellagh looked apprehensively at her sister, not knowing how to approach the subject. Ever since she found out that Zoë knew about the incident with Mitsui, she really wanted to talk to her sister to know if she was angry. They were on the way home, from Akagi's house and she felt that this was a good time as any to talk to her about it. She breathed deeply to gather her strength. It wasn't easy for her to hide something from her sister and she was ashamed that she would do that. Zoë was her best friend, her twin and therefore deserved to know the truth and not lies. "Zoë, can I talk to you about something?"

"Shoot."

Shellagh averted her eyes from Zoë. "It's not easy for me to confess something to you but I'll just come out and say it."

Zoë glanced at her with a puzzled expression. "Okay, what is it?"

"It's about that thing with Mitsui some weeks back."

"Ah." Zoë shook her head and gazed up at the night sky. "What about it?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you what happened in Lit class. I –"

"Yeah, I knew you wouldn't tell me something like that," interrupted Zoë. She flashed a rueful smile at Shellagh. "I only did what I did to diffuse any rumors that might come out of what happened in your class."

Shellagh's eyes blinked at her smile. "You're not mad for not telling you?"

Zoë shook her head. "Why should I? You didn't tell me because you knew that I'd get angrier with him. Besides, you didn't get the letter, right?"

"Well, no, not –"

"Then, that's good. You didn't get it so there's no sense in worrying about it."

__

Well, I didn't get it when he tried to give it to me but he slipped it inside my bag and I so wanted to read it... "Yeah, right," Shellagh answered slowly, unable to tell her the full truth.

Zoë saw the sad look on her sister's face and she quickly put an arm around her shoulders. "Shellagh, he always makes you sad and he's not worth thinking about. Just forget about him."

Shellagh smiled at her weakly, feeling a ball misery settle in the pit of her stomach. "I know that's the right thing to do. But it's hard, seeing him everyday and all. It was such a big surprise."

"I know so that's why you should stay away from him, okay?"

Shellagh nodded slowly. "Okay."

They walked in silence a couple more minutes then Zoë blurted, "I finally have a plan."

"A plan?"

Zoë nodded excitedly. "Yes, I know now what to do to Rukawa. I have it all figured out in my mind."

"You are going to tell me, right?"

"Sure, but not right now. I'll tell you after I did it."

Shellagh glanced at her in mild confusion. "Why?"

"I don't know. I just want to keep it to myself for awhile."

"When are you going to do this plan of yours, huh?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight! How?"

Zoë grinned at her wickedly. "Can't tell you yet. But I might tomorrow. We'll see."

Rukawa dribbled the ball, imagining that he was against Sendoh. He pivoted, he did some fancy footwork and he sank the basketball into the net. He imagined hearing the crowd clap, cheering his name and his teammates thumping him on the back for his magnificent play.

An image of Sakuragi formed in his mind and he said, "Idiot."

He looked at the clock on the wall saw it to be 10pm. He still had time left. He got the ball again and started shooting hoops. After his tenth shot, he felt the back of his neck prickle and he saw a shadow flitter away from the corner of his eye. He didn't believe in ghosts and other paranormal activities so he came to the conclusion that someone was in the gym with him.

"Who are you?" he called out. He heard a footfall on the floor near to his right and he turned his eyes towards it. In the dim light of the gym, a figure was enveloped in the shadows. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you to finish."

Rukawa frowned at the voice. It seemed too rough and unused._ Who is this guy?_ He moved the ball to his other hand and rested it on his hip. "Why?"

The figure moved under the light and Rukawa saw the figure covered in sweats. The guy was wearing a cap on his head and his eyes were covered with goggles, just like that player from Kainan.

"I want to challenge you to a one-on-one. Are you game?"

Rukawa frowned at the voice again. _He talks funny. _He moved away from the faceless boy. "I'm not interested. I don't play with weaklings."

The figure moved forward defiantly. "And I don't play with chickens."

There it was, the challenge gauntlet has been thrown. Rukawa looked back at him and considered. It was nothing when he was called not good enough by Sakuragi because he knew his own talent and worth. But it was a different matter to be called a coward. "You talk funny but you do sure know how to give a challenge."

"Do you accept?"

Rukawa nodded and threw the ball at him. "You're on."

The unknown player dribbled the ball, coming closer and Rukawa readied for a defense. But before he could do the stance, the player zoomed past him and shot the ball under the basket. Rukawa looked at him, amazed. There was only one player he knew that moved like that and he knew that was Sendoh. This player didn't move or talk like the ace of Ryonan. He was a lot shorter, too. 

Rukawa peered at the player. _Who is this guy?_

The player threw the ball at Rukawa with much force. "Are we going to play or we just going to stare at each other all night?"

Rukawa shook his head and dribbled the ball in his hand. "Watch."

The game started then, both athletes trying valiantly to defend their baskets. Shot after shot, the two couldn't even surpass each other's score. Rukawa was using most of his energy to defeat this player with no face and no name but he could feel himself tiring after 10 minutes of playing. This guy is good, he had to admit. 

When Rukawa sank another basket and making the score a tie, he saw the other player with his hands on his knees, breathing raggedly. The player didn't even take off his jacket, sweat wetting the cloth through.

"Are you just going to stare at the floor or are we going to play ball?" Rukawa threw the ball at him, issuing the challenge. He hadn't enjoyed playing basketball this much and he didn't want the game to end. Besides, they had a score to settle. Rukawa saw an eyebrow lift and he knew the game was going to start again.

A couple more minutes, the player collapsed on his back. "No more. You _are_ the ace of Shohoku."

Rukawa was about to smirk at his comment when he froze at the player's voice. The voice seemed higher and normal, unlike the sound that he heard earlier. His own voice hardened. "Who are you really?"

The unknown player lifted his head on his elbows to look at him. Rukawa couldn't see his eyes but he thought he saw those pair somewhere. The player slowly stood up on his feet and took his goggles off. The cap soon followed, white blond hair shining under the gym light. Rukawa cursed softly when he saw who it was.

Zoë unzipped her jacket, revealing her thin, athletic body inside the sweltering heat of her top. She looked at him with a gleam in her eyes. "Surprised?"

"You're a girl." Rukawa had said it emphatically, insult visible in his voice.

Zoë frowned and she answered Rukawa in an indignant tone. "Of course, I'm a girl."

Rukawa stared at her, glancing on her face, passed her tight sleeveless Nike top and all the way down to her Nike shoes. "I played with a girl."

Zoë plunked her hands on her hips. "Yes, you did and I'm sorry if I trampled your male ego, but you must admit that I was good, wasn't I? I played with you the best way I knew how."

"You're still a girl. It doesn't count."

Zoë stalked over him, fury rising within. She stopped when the top of her head hit his chin. "WHAT?! You ass! You can't mean our game didn't count. I played with you fair and square!"

Rukawa suddenly felt indescribable anger when something clicked inside his head. He started shouting. "So that's why you were watching me practice! You were studying my plays! You did NOT play fair! You tricked me!"

Zoë felt highly insulted. She shouted right back. "Well, for your information, that's what good athletes do! Study his or her opponent's plays. I DID play fair!"

Rukawa shook his head in disbelief. He played with a girl and he shouted. He saw no reason to speak, unless he really wanted to. But this GIRL made him _talk_ and _shout_. He shut himself away from Zoë. "Whatever." He turned around and started to walk away.

Zoë tasted bile in her mouth. She moved so fast that Rukawa didn't even see her take a step. She screamed in his ear, "At least you weren't ran over!"

Rukawa stopped and he looked down at the pretty face shoved against his again and saw her green eyes burning with anger. "Ran over? What?"

"Yeah, ran over. You know, _bumped off the road_!" lashed out Zoë, rage spewing out of her mouth. "Well, listen buster, before you exhaust your vocal cords and become silent again, you should be careful driving your stupid bike because if you ever bump on me again and give me another bruise, I swear I'll beat your head with that basketball"

Rukawa heard the ringing in his ears from her shouting. She was worse than his cheering squad. He grabbed her arms and shook her. "Stop screaming!"

"I'll stop when you let go of me!"

Rukawa only tightened his grip. "No. Why do you keep screaming? If anyone should be angry, it's supposed to be me. You're the one who challenged me to this game and tricked me."

Zoë heard the calmness in his voice, stopping her rant. _Why is he suddenly calm?_ "Let go of me."

Rukawa did and stared at her with quiet blue eyes. "I ran you over?"

"What have I been saying all this time?"

"Tell me something, you went through all this because I ran you over with my bike?"

Hearing it from him, it sounded silly. Zoë crossed her arms across her chest. "Yeah. I had a huge bruise on my right knee where I landed on the ground and it hurt like hell. You should be banned from riding your bike."

Rukawa looked at her incredulously. "You mean, you dressed up like a guy to play against me?"

"What does it look like I did?" asked Zoë sarcastically. "For a guy who plays basketball very well, you're pretty slow out of the court."

Rukawa glanced pointedly that they were still in the court. Zoë muttered, "Whatever." _How did this turn against me? Why is he looking at me strangely? Maybe I shouldn't have challenged him to a game. He might be a real weirdo._ "So, I did it for revenge. I'm just doing this for all those people you might run over in the future. I just taught you a lesson," she said defensively.

"And what is the lesson?"

Zoë stared at him in frustration. "Okay, _in_ the court or _out_ of it, you're really slow! The lesson is you can't just go your merry way and hitting other people without consequences. You should pay for what you did to me."

"So tricking me was the payment you wanted?"

"Call it what you want but I did what I thought was necessary to make you pay attention. There's a different world out there, not just the one that exists in your head."

Rukawa thought for a moment and then replied, "Consider myself paying attention. No girl has ever done to me what you have."

Zoë heard the grudging respect in his voice and it almost flustered her. "W-Well, I imagine so. You're not _that_ likeable, you know."

Rukawa raised an eyebrow. "I'm not, huh?"

"Of, course not! Everyone doesn't want to talk to you besides your teammates or an exceptional few. The majority of the students here in Shohoku are pretty in awe with you."

"And you're not?"

Zoë shook her head. "No, I've met other guys like you and been friends with them. You're no more different than Maki or Sendoh."

Rukawa was surprised. _Maki and Sendoh?_ "You know Maki and Sendoh?"

"Yes, I befriended them when I studied in their schools. They taught me some pointers." When Rukawa continued to just look at her, she asked, "What's wrong with you? Mute again?"

Rukawa stood up straight. "I want a rematch."

Zoë couldn't believe her ears. "What?"

"You played among the best players in the prefecture and taught you what they know. I want a rematch and this time, you and I play seriously."

__

Is this guy crazy? "What do you mean 'seriously'? I did play the best way I knew how," she repeated. When what she said passed through him like air, Zoë threw up her arms. "Just the mention of Maki and Sendoh, you suddenly want to play with me! They did tell me not tell anyone but no! I had to go and tell you." She glanced up at the quiet blue eyes and then sighed, "Fine, I'll do it."

Rukawa picked up the ball and walked out of the gym. Zoë stared at his retreating form and wondered how she was going to defeat the ace of Shohoku.

***

Reviews please! (",)


	5. Yes, I'm ready

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's Note: Hi! Thanks for the reviews I got for chapter 4. It made my head swell, yet again. (",) About how Zoë got to know Maki and Sendoh, remember Shellagh and Zoë's family always moved around because of their dad's job? Well, Shellagh and Zoë also moved to their towns or places (I'm absolutely clueless of Japan's whereabouts) and Zoë as being the friendly type of girl that she is, befriended Maki and Sendoh while she was in their schools. I've always been intrigued by Maki and Sendoh too so I mentioned them in the story. I don't know if I'll really include the two of them in the story though. It's still too far ahead. (",)

Chapter 5: "Yes, I'm Ready."

The day had come and gone, just like the other days that passed. Shellagh couldn't believe it was a week from the time Mitsui tried to talk to her and it seemed to be the last time. Mitsui hardly paid her any attention, ignoring her or acting as if she didn't exist. She felt sad about that and she didn't know why she was feeling this way. She just felt that she wanted that to change between them.

Shellagh was sitting under a tree in the shady lawn of the school, hoping to study while waiting for Zoë to come out after her make-up class. But she stared at her open book with unseeing eyes. For in her mind's eye, the past kept playing.

__

"Hi," said Shellagh, shyly, a smile peeking at the corner of her lips. "I'm Shellagh Riechtmann. We seem to keep bumping into each other."

Mitsui gave her a slow grin. "I know. I'm Hisashi. Hisashi Mitsui." Then he held out his hand.

Mitsui ducked his head without looking at her, his face red in embarrassment. "I'm sorry I was late. My friends did something to me..."

Shellagh giggled. "It's okay. I wasn't waiting for very long."

Mitsui looked at her laughing smile. "Well, we can't let your sister and the others wait, can we?"

Shellagh nodded and took the offered hand.

"I'm so sorry, Shellagh," said Mitsui, apologizing for the third time. "I didn't mean to force you to ride in the roller coaster. I didn't know you'd get that scared!"

Shellagh couldn't stop shivering beside him in the boat. "I also didn't know I was going to be that scared!"

Mitsui wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him. "I won't do it again," he whispered.

Shellagh looked up at his face, coming inches away. She stared into his eyes, waiting for that moment that would be crystallized in her mind forever.

Thud

Shellagh and Mitsui pitched forward as another boat bumped theirs, losing the moment. They straightened themselves and just laughed with each other.

Shellagh sighed. For almost an hour, she had been brooding on her predicament. _He asked me to talk to him before. He wanted to explain. What happened then? If he didn't stop trying to talk to me and I heard him out, then I'll finally know why he left before. But since he did, then I won't...We won't..._

Shellagh leaned back on the trunk of the tree, closing her eyes and lifting her face to the sun. _Why did this happen to me? Why can't I just have the confidence to walk up to him and tell him to tell me? Actually, with my eyes closed, I can easily imagine myself going up to him._ She smiled and opened her eyes. She froze when she saw a figure standing over her, blocking the light of the sun.

When Mitsui saw her sitting under the tree, he first thought of something beautiful. But when he saw her lean back, close her eyes with a dreamy smile on her lips, his face darkened with the memory of her and Akagi. He was suddenly consumed with such anger and jealousy that he saw himself walk towards her and just stare down at her.

"Mi-chan." Shellagh felt her heart beating fast as she gazed up on his face. He looked dark and dangerous. He looked angry.

"I saw you and Akagi," he finally bit out. "Together."

Shellagh's surprise turned quickly to confusion. "But I'm always with Akagi."

Mitsui's face became emotionless. "I know." Then he turned around and walked away.

Shellagh was speechless. _What was that?_ She didn't understand what he was saying. Or trying to say. But before she could think more on it, she scrambled to her feet and ran after him. Later, she would wonder what came over her to make her go to Mitsui.

"Mi-chan, wait!" She caught up with him and she tentatively placed a hand on his arm. "Mi-chan, I don't know what you mean. Why are you angry with me?"

Mitsui pulled his arm from her. "It's nothing."

Shellagh pushed her way in front of him. "No! What do you mean about Akagi and I? What?"

Mitsui glanced at her and sneered. "You're talking to me now? You couldn't even look at my face and now you're all over me."

Shellagh was taken aback by the fury in his gaze. "Mi-chan, I –"

"Just forget it." Mitsui moved past her, pushing Shellagh slightly to the side. With that one movement, she suddenly had the courage to know the real truth from him. She intercepted him again and lightly shoved him back. Even though Mitsui had a background of being a gangster, he didn't punch females. 

Shellagh clutched both his arms and moved closer. "I said, no! Answer me straight."

Mitsui finally looked at her. Seeing the confusion and a little bit of fear bright in her eyes, it made him think of what he was really doing.It also made him ponder if what he saw the night before was what it really was.

"Tell me. What did you mean?" she asked again. When he kept staring at her with a strange look in his eyes, Shellagh dropped her arms and took a step back, hoping to hear his answer.

After a few more minutes in silence, Mitsui abandoned his gaze and finally told her the truth. "I saw Akagi put his arm around you and it made me jealous."

"You were...jealous?"

Mitsui nodded. "I wanted to explain to you about before but you went with Akagi. I thought that you and him are together as a couple."

"A couple," she whispered. Shellagh lowered her head, a feeling of hope fluttering inside her. "Is that why you were ignoring me?"

Mitsui stood rigidly. "I did nothing new. Ever since you came into this school, you never went to me to even say hello. I tried to talk to you but you never gave me the time of day. Except now."

Shellagh shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry. I guess all I could say is my part is different. But Mi-chan, I am not with Akagi. Not in the way that you think. He is only my friend."

Mitsui moved forward now looking at her intently. "Then why did you wait for him? Why did you go to his house?"

"I asked him to study with me for the Lit exam," she replied simply. "Zöe was already there in their house waiting for us with Haruko. We're just friends, Mi-chan."

Mitsui became silent and Shellagh waited for his reaction, still hiding her face. He continued to look at the top of her head while he felt relief course through him. _So, they're not...together._ As light seemed to burst in a million stars inside him, he tentatively placed a hand under chin. "Then will you talk to me now?"

Shellagh looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile. "Yes, I'm ready," she answered and took his hand in her own.

***

Reviews please!!! C",)


	6. The Confession

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's Note: Oh, yeah, I changed some of the facts here to suit my story so I hope you guys won't be confused. Please tell me what you think!!! Reviews please :p

Chapter 6: The Confession

Mitsui felt her hand hold his and he was amazed by the flash of memories that paraded in his mind. It felt too much like old times that he also remembered of the many instances he dreamed of them. He looked at her beside him, leading him somewhere to talk and he felt this indescribable peace inside him ever since...well, for a very long time.

Shellagh wondered what he was thinking. _Probably about the past_, she thought to herself. _The same thing I'm thinking, the past that started it all and brought us together_. Suddenly a thought of Zoë waiting in school entered her mind. She didn't know what to tell her sister, IF she would tell her what she was going to do. She knew Zoë wouldn't really understand why she wanted this to happen. She wouldn't comprehend fully this urge she had to just talk to Mitsui and finally know. Zoë would probably see that Mitsui was the bad guy.

Mitsui, who was watching her for quite some time, saw the shadow of an emotion cross her face but it was gone before he could know what it was. He thought that she might be having second thoughts when she stopped in front of the swings in the deserted children's playground. "Shellagh?"

Shellagh gave him a nod to the swings and she let his hand go. Mitsui felt the loss almost immediately but he walked to the swings and sat on one. Shellagh sat down beside him and spoke to him in a soft voice, "Mi-chan, when you left without any word why, it hurt me. I thought we had something together that both of us have not experienced with anyone else. But you just left as if nothing happened."

Mitsui leaned forward, placing his clasped arms on his thighs. "I know. I realize that's why you've been avoiding me. I had my reasons, Shellagh. Reasons that forced me to leave quickly."

Shellagh stared at the ground. "Why then?"

Mitsui felt his eyes water a little when he remembered that summer. It was easier as a year passed by but the grief was still there. He tried to clear his throat. "One day of that summer of two years ago, I got a phone call from my mom and I learned that my father died. He had some kind of accident, coma and internal bleeding. I didn't understand what really happened but the fact is he died."

Shellagh looked at him in horror, shocked with what he said. She never thought in a million years that this would be the reason why he left. He went away because of his father's death, and she had condemned him for it. "Mi-chan."

Mitsui shook his head as he remembered his mother's sobbing and his younger sister's grief-stricken voice over the phone. "I had to go back home and help my family cope with the loss. I was the eldest, you see, and I had to be there for them."

"I didn't know, Mi-chan. I'm so sorry."

Mitsui saw a tear roll down her cheek and he reached out to wipe it away. "It's not your fault. I'm the one who left you and didn't tell you what was happening to me. I just wasn't thinking clearly. I hurried to get back here, as fast as I could and when I came here I was so busy spending time with my family and settling some matters for my father. You were always at the back of my mind, Shellagh. You never left me. But because of my family and the months turned to years, I thought you must have forgotten me. When I saw you here, I was so surprised but then I thought, maybe, just maybe, it's fate that brought us back together again. But I saw how Zoë acted the way she did towards me that I knew you didn't forget us. I'm sorry."

Shellagh looked at his face and saw the grief that still lived inside him in his eyes. She stood up and knelt down in front of him. She placed her hands on his cheeks and said, "I realize now that you were never at fault and I'm sorry for placing blame on you without knowing the full truth. I was angry with you because I thought I meant nothing to you. But I know now that it wasn't that way at all." She moved closer to him and whispered, "But I'm still angry at you, Mi-chan, because I could have been there for you. So now I ask, has anyone consoled you with your grief?"

Mitsui rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. "Shellagh."

Shellagh touched the wetness coming through his eyes with her thumbs. "Tell me. Let it all out now then we'll never speak of it again."

Mitsui took a deep shuddering breath, finally allowing his emotions free rein. "I loved him so much, Shellagh! He was my idol, my mentor, and my coach. He was the best father I could ever have and now he's gone. For a time, I turned to other stuff that I'm not proud of doing but I'm glad that I finally got out of it. I have been trying to deal with the loss through basketball right now and sometimes I'm grateful that I forget."

"But it's not enough, is it?" Shellagh felt sorrow for him in her heart and could do nothing but this. She leaned in and pressed her mouth on his, giving him what she thought was a healing touch. A meeting of lips that she hoped took his grief away.

Mitsui's eyes widened as Shellagh kissed him. She was incredibly sweet and gentle that he felt so lucky to be with her in this moment. Suddenly, slowly he felt the pain of his father's death seeping out of him and disappearing to forever.

Shellagh moved back, blush staining her cheeks. She slowly stood up and whispered, "I'm really sorry, Mi-chan. I hope I can change things for you. I only want the best for you."

Mitsui caught her hand and squeezed it with his own. "Does this mean...?"

Shellagh shook her head. "I don't know yet. Maybe. I still need time to think things through. Is that okay?"

Mitsui nodded. "I understand. Maybe we could start all over again."

Shellagh covered his hand with her own. "Yeah, we could."

***

AN: Pretty emotional, huh? It will get better, I promise. (",) 

Reviews please!!


	7. Meeting the Family

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks a lot for those people who reviewed! It's because of you guys that I continue posting a new chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. I enjoyed writing it as well since this takes another step higher in the Zoë and Rukawa duo. C",)

Chapter 7: Meeting the Family

Zoë leaned on the wall connecting to the gate of Shohoku High. She had been out of her class and been waiting for Shellagh for ten minutes but her sister didn't look like she was going to show up. She had looked in the library and to everywhere she thought Shellagh would be but she still didn't see any sign of her. She sighed. _Maybe I didn't hear Shellagh right and she told me that she'll go on ahead._

"Who you talking to?"

Zoë looked up and saw Rukawa before her and staring at her as if she was crazy. She frowned. "I wasn't talking."

"Yes, you were. You said, '...told me she'll go on ahead.' What do you call that then?"

Zoë's face reddened. "So, I was talking to myself. Got a problem with that?"

"No, I just find people talking to themselves weird."

"What are you doing here? Being an ass on purpose just because I defeated you again the other day?"

Rukawa scowled. "I wasn't defeated! Our game isn't over yet."

Zoë smirked. "Could have fooled me. That was 54 to 53, wasn't it? As far as I'm concerned, that game was mine."

Rukawa looked at Zoë's smirking face. He wouldn't have known that this _girl_ was a better basketball player than some of the guys on the team. Sometimes, even himself. Hell, he didn't believe that girls could be better than boys could but she was the proof that destroyed that belief. "It isn't over yet, Riechtmann."

"Well, duh! You're a sore loser. Can't accept defeat."

"Hey, I'm not the only one here who wanted a rematch before. Who's a sore loser now?"

"Ass."  
"Witch."

Zoë glanced at him with a startled expression. "That's the first time you called me by something else. I think that's a big improvement. Keep working on your vocab, you might be able to say the big words soon."

Rukawa glared at her and Zoë glared right back. After a second, Zoë found the whole thing funny. She burst out laughing. When Rukawa kept glaring at her, she stamped on her laughter. "I'm sorry, you're so funny at times. You're too competitive."

"You're competitive, too."

"Yeah, well, that's me. I can't help but challenge guys to see if I'm better than they are because I can't play with them in their sports. It makes me feel smug if they're not as good as I thought compared to me, a girl."

"I never thought that girls would like to play a guy's sport."

Zoë smiled at him and replied, "There's a lot you don't know about girls, Rukawa."

Rukawa saw the smile and felt his heart do a flip. _What the hell? _"Yeah," he said abruptly.

Zoëedged closer to him, curiosity egging her on. "How come you don't? Haven't you dated before?"

"No."

"A lot of girls are interested in you, especially your cheering squad, though you're as sociable as a hermit. Why don't you ask one of them to a date?"

"No."

Zoë shook her head in exasperation. "Oh, boy. We're back to the monosyllables again. Can't you give me a straight answer? Why don't you?"

"Can't be with girls like those. They're too talkative and girly," he replied impatiently.

Zoë laughed again. "Well, they can't help it! They are girls, you know."

"You're not like them," he pointed out. "And you're a girl."

Zoë felt herself redden and she saw Rukawa's face do the same when he heard what he said. _He's so cute!_ "Yeah, well..."

"What are you doing here, anyway?" he interrupted.

Zoë blinked at the change of subject. _He is one big head case._ "I'm waiting for Shellagh. She was supposed to wait for me because I had a make-up class in Lit but I've been waiting for a long time and she hasn't turned up yet."

"So, will you wait for her still?"

Zoë shrugged. "I don't know. I'm thinking of heading home since she's not here. She might have walked home without me. Why?"

"Nothing."

Zoë sighed. She shouldn't have expected him to ask her if she'd like to walk with him. This guy didn't know anything about boys and girls besides basketball. "How about you? Don't you have basketball practice?"

"I told Akagi that I had to get out early. I have something to do in my house. Why?"

__

Here goes nothing. "Well, want to walk home together? I think we go the same direction."

Rukawa shrugged. "It's okay."

Zoë rolled her eyes without him seeing her do it as she began to walk beside him. This guy was a lot of work but she guessed she was willing to take him on.

Zoë wanted to bang her head on the sidewalk in utter frustration. _The guy is supposed to walk the girl home, not the other way around!_ She sighed at his ignorance, praying to the gods for strength. She knew he didn't know much what happens between girls and boys, but she didn't know that he didn't know _that_ much!

__

It's my fault. I didn't know his house is in the street Shellagh and I walk through every morning. So technically, he can't be blamed. So, this can't be counted as walking him_ home. _Zoë was jarred out of her thoughts when she noticed Rukawa staring at her. "What?" she asked irritably.

Rukawa raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

Zoë shook her head and replied, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"This is my house," he answered.

Zoë glanced at the small house with pretty blue windows. "Nice house. Kind of reminds me of mine."

"This is my house," he repeated.

Zoë looked at him strangely. "I know, you just said that and I said it's a nice house."

"This –"

Zoë was about to throttle him until he told her what exactly he isn't saying when a thought entered her mind. _He doesn't know what to do again. Sigh, I guess I have to teach him something._ "What did you have to do in your house that you skipped practice today?"

He mumbled under his breath. Zoë strained her ears. "What did you say?"

Rukawa muttered again but Zoë could only hear bits of it. "You need to clean your house? Speak louder, Rukawa. My ears can't stretch any further."

"My mom told me to clean the house today."

"There, a lot better. But I've got to tell you, your communication skills need a lot of work. If you need help, I'm just here."

"Witch."

Zoë gasped. "See, you need me already."

Rukawa almost smiled at her attempts to make him laugh. He never saw her taunts as anything else but to make him smile or laugh out loud. If anything, Zoë is challenged to make him be 'normal' in her words.

"...You need help?"

"In what?"

Zoë looked at him as if he wasn't listening. "In your house, stupid! I'm offering to help you. You probably need me, too, because guys don't know how to clean. What do you say?"

"You want to help me?"

"Yeah, but I also want to see the inside of your house."

Rukawa gave her a long look. "I don't know what to say."

"Obviously. You're looking at me as if I have two heads. You can just say no, you know. But I really do want to see your house."

"Why?"

Zoë gave him a feline smile. "To see if the rest of your family left some traces of the same abnormality that you have in your house."

"I don't need your help." He turned around and opened the gate. 

Zoë called out, "Temper, temper. I didn't know I could do that. Well, outside basketball, that is." When he continued to walk into the house, she added, "Come on, I was only kidding anyway."

Rukawa glanced at her, disbelief written all over his face. Zoë raised both of her hands as if to surrender. "It was just a joke. Promise! You won't even hear me say anything that might offend you once inside."

He still gave her an assessing look. "Not one word."

Zoë nodded happily. _I wonder if he'll let me inside his room._ She laughed silently and then followed him inside.

"Well, nothing seems to be out of place, Rukawa." Zoë surveyed the room again and glanced at his impassive face. "It looks clean to me. You're not just trying to get me in here, are you?"

Rukawa ignored her remark, his attention at the small piece of paper laid on the coffee table. He read it and then turned to Zoë. "I don't need you anymore. My mom cleaned the house for me."

Zoë glanced at him suspiciously. "What are you not telling me?"

"Do I have to hide something from you? In my own house?"

"Well, yeah."

Rukawa shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"You said something! Come on, say it to my face!"

"It's nothing!"

"Why are you angry then?"

Rukawa sighed, surprising Zoë. He answered truthfully, "I'm not angry, irritated, yes. You're worse than that asshole Sakuragi."

"Now, I am insulted." Zoë folded her arms in front of her chest and replied, "Sakuragi is your mortal enemy."

"That just goes to show how irritating you are."

Zoë had a gleam in her eye when she started towards him. She stopped and stood in front of him so close that Rukawa actually gulped at her proximity. She raised up on her toes and whispered to his ear. "You just think that because I haven't tried being charming yet. You'll probably die of fright." She kissed him on the cheek because she couldn't resist and stepped away. She picked up the piece of paper that fluttered to the floor and read it.

"Ha! You do need me, liar. I don't think you can cook." Zoë glanced up to his face and saw him looking at her with dazed eyes. "What's with you?"

Rukawa shook his head, as if clearing his mind. "I can cook."

Zoë's eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah. Right."

"I don't need you to believe me. Just leave."

"No way," said Zoë, shaking her head for emphasis. "Not after you told me you can cook. I want to see."

"You'll be in the way. You're already in my way."

"No, I'm not. You're just saying that because you think I'm irritating. Sorry, buster, I'm staying."

Rukawa took hold of his temper but he wasn't really sure if he was angry with Zoë or with himself. He turned away and headed towards the kitchen. 

Zoë followed him, a satisfied smile on her face. "So what's cooking?"

"Not one word, Zoë."

"Okay, okay. I can't say anything in the presence of the master chef."

After a few more moments in silence, Zoë was surprised at Rukawa's efficiency in the kitchen. He looked competent in front of the stove and she had to admit, he looked so cute, stirring and mixing ingredients. By the wonderful smells coming out of the pots and pans heating, she never dreamed that he'd turn out to be a talented cook. She stood beside Rukawa and asked, "I know you don't want me to talk but what are you cooking? Everything smells great!"

Rukawa glanced at her to see if she wasn't joking. She was sniffing at the food and clearly had a look of pure enjoyment on her face. "It's just miso soup and beef teriyaki," he replied curtly.

"Wow! Can I taste? Come on, you're not still angry with me are you?"

"Rukawa, dear, I'm home!"

Zoë tugged at his arm. "Hey, your mom's here."

Rukawa froze at the sound of his mother's voice. How was he going to explain Zoë to her? He called out to his mother hesitantly and waited in suspense for her to see him with Zoë in the kitchen, unable to do anything about it.

A short, pretty woman came in, a big smile on her face. "Hello, dear. I see you made dinner." She gave him a quick hug and then turned to Zoë. "And I also see you brought someone home with you."

Zoë gave her best smile and stretched out a hand. "Hello, I'm Zoë Riechtmann."

Mrs. Rukawa shook her hand enthusiastically and replied, "I'm glad to meet you, Zoë. I've never seen Kaede bring home a girl that I've wondered if there was something wrong in his life."

Zoë glanced at the stony expression on his face and stifled the urge to laugh. "As far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong in his life, ma'am. I bet he's just feeling great."

Mrs. Rukawa turned to look at his son, looking very excited. "Aww, dear, is there something you want to tell me?"

Rukawa shook his head. "No, I have nothing to say."

"But aren't you and Zoë..."

Zoë tapped her on the shoulder and pointed towards the living room area. "Ma'am, I think someone's calling you from there."

"Oh, thank you, dear. Kaede, come out and greet your aunt and uncle from the US."

After Mrs. Rukawa left, Zoë couldn't help but giggle. "Well, come on, dear. It's time to meet your relatives." When Rukawa gave her a menacing stare, Zoë raised her hands in comical surrender. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving. But I have to say goodbye to your mom."

They followed Mrs. Rukawa out to the living room where she introduced them to the visitors. "This is my son, Kaede. Dear, this is Uncle Ricky and Aunt Luz."

Rukawa both shook their offered hand and stood back. "This is Zoë, my classmate," he said tersely.

Uncle Ricky smiled at Zoë. "You have a beautiful girlfriend, son."

Rukawa almost choked. "No, uhrm..."

Zoë giggled. "What he means to say is, I'm just a friend." She turned to Mrs. Rukawa and added, "Well, I need to go home now. I'm glad to meet all of you."

Mrs. Rukawa placed a hand to Zoë's arm. "Why don't you stay for dinner, Zoë? My son is a very good cook."

"I can tell. I've been watching him cook this afternoon." Zoë glanced at Rukawa's emotionless face, revealing nothing. "But as much as I want to stay, I can't. I have to do some stuff at home for my mom, too."

"Maybe next time, before we leave for the States," replied Aunt Luz.

"That would be great." Zoë picked up her school bag on the floor beside the coffee table and said goodbye again. Rukawa walked her to the door.

Zoë opened the gate but before she stepped out to the street, she looked at Rukawa and said, "Hey, thanks for letting me in your house. I know you didn't really want to."

"Yeah."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

Zoë blushed slightly and thought, _That you enjoyed my company even if you think I'm annoying._ "Nothing that would force you to say it." She stepped onto the sidewalk and turned to leave. "See you in school, Rukawa. And I can't wait for our rematch. I can't wait to win again."

"You know that'll never happen."

Zoë waved away his answer and called over shoulder, "That's what you think. I know better."

Rukawa stared at her back as she started down the street. "Hey Zoë! Wait a minute."

Zoë heard him call her and she turned around to look at him, "What?"

Rukawa jogged to her and stood in front of her. "Um, I just want to say, though you're the most irritating girl I've met besides Sakuragi, sometimes I..."

Zoë, curious, moved closer to him. "You what?"

"Enjoy your company," he answered in a rush. "You're the only one who makes me want to laugh."

"Wow, I thought you were a lost cause, always unsmiling and moody. There's hope for you yet, buster."

A corner of Rukawa's lips lifted. "Whatever you say, witch."

Zoë laughed and pointed at his mouth. "You almost smiled! It's there, I can see it. With a little work, I'll make you smile at me."

Rukawa caught her hand. "Is that a challenge?"

"Uh-oh. No way, I'm not going into that again. I don't want any more challenges from you. Basketball is enough. Consider making you smile a...a gift."

"A gift, huh?"

"Yeah, a gift to all those people you drill holes into with your eyes. I'll probably be the first one to make you smile in a million years."

"Suit yourself."

Zoë smiled brightly at him, then she punched his arm lightly and said, "Well, I really need to go. I'll see you around."

"Bye."

***

DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!! THANKS! C",)


	8. The Confession II

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's Note: To Kage, thanks for the info! I didn't know that. (^_^) I already made the necessary changes in the previous chapter. Well, here's chapter 8! Again, I want to say thank you to those who reviewed (especially Ruishi, doujin and 'anonymous' who's been with me, reading and reviewing my story from the start). All of you guys keep me going. (",)

Chapter 8: The Confession II

Zoë closed the front door behind her and leaned upon it. _He is so cute!_ She sighed and then ran up the stairs. But before she could go into her room, Shellagh called out from hers. She went to her sister's room instead.

"Where'd you go?" they both asked at the same time.

"You go first," said Zoë.

"No, you," countered Shellagh. "You look like you swallowed the moon, glowing like that. What has made your day bright?"

A giggle slipped from her lips and Zoë quickly clamped her hand on her mouth. 

Shellagh raised an eyebrow at her and waited. 

"You'll never believe me." Zoë sat on the chair in front of her sister's vanity, smiling.

"Try me."

"I just spent the afternoon with Rukawa."

Shellagh's mouth dropped open. "How did you do that?"

"While I was waiting for you, he showed up and after talking a bit, I invited him to walk with me on the way home. He lives near here anyway."

"And then?" asked Shellagh, expectantly.

Zoë shook her head. "No way. I refuse to say another word until you tell me where you went. I was waiting for a long time!"

Shellagh considered lying to her twin but she felt she couldn't do it this second time around. She knew Zoë would really get angry with her if she found out that she lied to her. She would also never forgive her. "Promise you won't get angry?"

It was Zoë who raised an eyebrow this time. "Depends on what you're going to say. What happened?"

Shellagh looked down and traced the pattern of her blanket. "I was with Mitsui this afternoon."

"What?! Shellagh!"

Shellagh looked back at her sister's face and pleaded, "Hey, don't get mad. I did it because I really wanted to know what happened before. Don't you think I had a right to know?"

"Of course, you did. But he's bad news, sis."

"I know you were also hurt for me when he left without saying where he was going or why. But you'll change your mind once you hear what happened."

Zoë folded her arms in front of her and scowled. "I have heard enough of him. Do you know he was a member of a gang before and they used to terrorize other students? Do you know that he started this huge fight against Ryota and the whole basketball team? He brought his gang with him to school and most of the players on the team were beaten up pretty badly."

"Yes, I know, well, not really. I don't know the details but I know that there was a time where he did stuff that he wasn't proud of. He told me."

"Then why do you seem to be defending him? He's obviously not the guy we knew before."

Shellagh sighed. "Zoë, just listen to me first. Come on."

"He probably lied to you," she added grouchily.

Shellagh finally lost her temper. "You know what? Just forget it. I don't care anymore what you think of him."

It was a rare day when Shellagh would lose her patience with Zoë because she was _always_ patient with everyone and everything, especially with her. But today was different; today she finally knew that Mitsui did not leave because of her. It wasn't her fault that he went back to his home.

"Shellagh..."

"Leave me alone."

Zoë knelt in front of her sister who was sitting on the bed and tugged at her hand. "I'm sorry. Mitsui always gets to me, you know that."

"That's why I was trying to explain to you about him but you won't even listen."

"I hated what he did to you. I know how hurt you were, I just don't want you to get hurt again because of him."

"You don't know that yet, Zoë."

"I know, I realize that. I'll try to listen."

Shellagh looked at her suspiciously. "You're just not saying that so that I could forgive you, are you?"

"Well, partly," Zoë admitted. "I don't like us fighting over some guy."

Shellagh nodded, accepting what she said. "Okay, I accept that." She pulled Zoë to sit beside her then spoke, "That summer of two years ago, his father died. He went back here so fast that he left without saying a word to anyone. Remember that his friends also didn't know why he left? And before you ask me why he didn't write to me about it, it was because he was busy with his family. His mother and his siblings depended on him as the oldest child."

Zoë sat on the floor in shock. "That was the reason? Isn't it a little too much?"

"Yes, it is and he's still grieving. There was a time before when he did some stuff to avoid his grief and I believe it was the time when he joined a gang."

"You mean, the time about his gangster days was because his father died?"

"Yes, I guess he couldn't face that his father was gone. I don't know but I understand him."

Zoë sighed. "I can see your point. I just hope that it's all true."

"Of course, it is. Even Akagi hinted to me something about Mi-chan's past. He didn't tell me the whole story because he wanted me to find out from Mi-chan directly. He also told me that I should talk to him."

"Akagi said this?"

"Yes. Besides, why would Mi-chan lie to me?"

"To satisfy his conscience. What else?"

Shellagh glanced at her incredulously, shocked by her sister's tone of voice. "What has he done to you to make you feel this way?"

Zoë stood up from the bed and walked to the open window, her back facing her sister. "I told you. I didn't like it when he hurt you. And...Also after that summer, you kind of drifted away from me. You didn't want to talk about that incident and I felt a part of you was separated from me. I don't want that to happen again."

Shellagh's eyes softened, as she understood her. "I just couldn't bring myself to talk about it or even think about it then. I didn't realize I closed myself to you. I'm sorry, Zoë."

Zoë waved her hand in the air, as if indicating that it was nothing. "What's past is past. I don't want to think about it anymore. Let's just forget about it." She turned to her sister and asked, "So, what does this make the two of you?"

"Are you asking if we're together as a couple?"

"Yeah."

Shellagh shook her head. "No, we're not. We're starting over, as if we just met."

"Whose idea was it?"

"His." When Zoë didn't say anything, Shellagh remembered to ask about the afternoon with Rukawa. "So, you want to tell me about your afternoon?"

"OH, that!" exclaimed Zoë and quickly blushed.

Shellagh laughed at her sister. "I still can't believe you challenged Rukawa to a game. You couldn't possibly know you were going to be almost his level."

Zoë smiled impishly. "Actually, I did. I was watching their practices almost everyday with Haruko and I'd study Rukawa's moves. He has a lot of potential and I bet he's going to be one of the best basketball players in the country."

"With that said, where did you and Rukawa go? Was it a date?"

"Of course not. He doesn't know a thing about girls. We went to his house."

Shellagh's eyes widened. "He invited you to his house?"

"No, no, he didn't. I asked if he needed help cleaning his house. He was going to have visitors today and his mom wanted him to get the house ready."

"He accepted right away?"

"Not without a fight. You know that he and I argue constantly with each other."

Shellagh looked at her slyly. "But you like him, don't you?"

Zoë nodded. "Yes, I think I do. He's okay, in his own way. Not to mention being cute and a great basketball player."

"But you still argue all the time."

"That's the only way to get his attention. I noticed girls trying to talk to him and none of them yell or shout or do anything to make him talk back."

"They don't watch him as close as you do," teases Shellagh.

Zoë laughed. "I know and it could be like that for a long time because I'm not sharing my secret."

Shellagh threw a small pillow at her sister's face that was looking so self-satisfied. "Wait, isn't he the one who has the cheering squad? Aren't you worried for competition?"

"No," she answered smugly. "According to Rukawa, he doesn't like girls like those. They're too talkative and girly."

Shellagh chuckled. "Did you tell him that girls _are_ talkative and girly?"

"Yeah, I did but he casually pointed out I wasn't like that."

"What are you then? Manly?"

Zoë threw back the pillow at her. "For your information, he finds me acceptable."

"He does, huh? I think he likes you, Zoë."

"I think so too," she sighed feelingly. "What do you think? Should I go for it?"

Shellagh shrugged. "I guess, he's okay. He's a bit moody and all but if you like him, why not, right?"

"Right," answered Zoë gleefully. "Well, come on, dinner has to be made. I'll help you."

"You usually avoid the kitchen like the plague before dinner."

"I'm in such a good mood I'll do anything for you right now."

Shellagh, interested, moved to wrap an arm around her sister's shoulders. "Really. Let's talk about that."

"Uh, I don't like that look in your eyes, Shellagh."

"Aw, come on, it's just my laundry..."

The bedroom door closed on Shellagh's teasing and Zoë's blanched face.

***

Review or get the consequences...joke! Please review!!


	9. “Rukawa’s GAY?!”

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Do you think he's gay? Well, read on and find out! (",) 

Author's note 2: Oh yeah, before I forget, this fic is slightly AU so facts about Mitsui was changed just a little bit to accommodate my story. C",)

Chapter 9: "Rukawa's GAY?!"

Mitsui pivoted around Sakuragi Hanamichi toward the front court. When he reached the three-point arc, he shot the ball for a goal. "Yes!!" he shouted when the ball sank into the net.

"Good play, Mitsui!" called Ayako at the sidelines then turned to Sakuragi, pointing her fan. "Concentrate, Sakuragi!"

Sakuragi fumed. "Mi-chan! Watch the genius play!"

Mitsui laughed out loud. "I have been watching, Sakuragi, but I don't see any genius around!"

Sakuragi took a step toward Mitsui but Rukawa stopped him. The whispered 'idiot' further inflamed him more. "Just wait and see!"

Mitsui chuckled. Playing basketball again gave him such excitement and energy. There was nothing outside of this sport that ever gave him more joy. Shellagh came inside through the open gym doors and he lost his concentration, the ball hitting his head.

Ayako hurried to him. "Mitsui, are you all right?" she asked, looking at his head for any sign of blood. "You must be very tired. Go and rest outside and get some fresh air. You have been playing for a long time and there's no need to stress yourself."

Akagi looked down at him. "Go outside, Mitsui. Come back when you're more in the mood." 

Mitsui shook his head. "No, I'm okay." The game restarted again and he caught the ball and dribbled it to the other side of the court, his mind full of Shellagh. At the corner of his eye, he saw her beside Zoë and chatting with Haruko while at the same time glancing at him worriedly.

Mitsui had so much to make up to the girl, not because he had to. He just wanted to very much. From the moment he met her, he had feelings for her that surrounded friendship and love. He liked her because she was such a kind person and so damned sweet. She always looked the good in other people even if someone was insulting them. She also had a smile that was infectious, blue eyes that reflected what she thought, and a face that packed a punch. She was stunning, absolutely stunning.

They didn't really become a couple then but it was inevitable at that time. He remembered the days spent with each other, the laughter and the conversations. The two-year gap betwen them didn't even matter. The fun and the joy of those times made him feel and believe then that he was already half in love with her.

After his father died, Mitsui was in this pit of gloom that he felt no one was ever going to save him from. He helped his mother and siblings cope with the loss, made them feel better while he, himself, sank deeper into the pit. Playing basketball helped a little to forget and to heal and he was actually quite good. The ace player of his junior high school basketball team. But after the knee injury, he sank again in the misery and grief.

Mitsui made friends with the tough guys and ran with the mean crowd, and for a period, he was blissfully numb from his problems. If it weren't for Anzai-sensei, he wouldn't have realized the mistakes he had made and how much he missed playing the sport he loved most.

During this time, he wanted to call or write to Shellagh and explain what happened but he would always chicken out. He actually let go of her, convincing himself that he had been out of her life long enough that she must have forgotten him already. Seeing Shellagh again made his feelings come rushing back, reminding him of what was and thinking of what will be. He believed he was more than half in love with her this time. He had already fallen.

Mitsui passed the ball before he made another blunder in front of Shellagh. Akagi looked on with a knowing expression on his face.

Rukawa slammed the ball through the net, hearing many squealing voices inside the gym but one. He knew she was there, watching and studying his plays like every other day. She was quiet, looking on, not cheering at all and he understood why. He glanced her way and he saw her leaning back on the wall, her gaze all over him. For a moment, their eyes met and he saw the challenge in hers. No, cheering for him was out of the question. They wouldn't be rivals if she showed his approval of him.

Rukawa knew he felt something for her, but not really understanding what it was. Rapport, probably because they had something in common, which was basketball. But he can't really be content with just that. There seems to be something more. He knew she liked him enough or she wouldn't be talking to him and he felt the same way. He actually liked the fact that she seemed to want to spend more time with him than hanging out with other people in the school. He liked her company immensely, with her trying to make him laugh or smile. He also liked that she was funny and easy to talk to. She wasn't like the other girls. She didn't fall all over him and she wasn't shy around him. Not to mention, being very pretty. That didn't hurt a bit.

Sometimes when he was thinking of something important like basketball, her face would just pop in his head and he would end up thinking of her instead. He couldn't seem to get her out of his mind once he started seeing her in his thoughts. She was just so different that there was something about her that kept tugging in him. He didn't know what to do or if there was something that should be done. She was certainly not doing anything except work her way into his mind and stay there until she was ready to get out. He was no good at this stuff and he hoped that he would get out of this 'situation' soon.

Zoë glanced at her sister and then scowled at Mitsui. So, he wasn't really entirely to blame with the incident before. He had his reasons. But she was still watching him like a hawk. Who knows, his reasons might have been false and she would be there to save Shellagh from his conniving soul. Zoë then caught Rukawa's eyes on hers and she felt her breath catch. She forced a challenging smile on her lips and kept her eyes on his until he turned away. Now that was one gorgeous guy. She can't help but admit that she liked him. He was quiet and moody but she could always tease him out of it. He didn't have a clue what to do with her and she was going to be right there to teach him.

Shellagh smiled and waved at Mitsui, trying to ignore the stares and the teasing smiles of the people who noticed. Mitsui flashed a grin at her and then continued to play but not before everyone saw the evident light in his eyes. 

Her cheeks reddened when Haruko elbowed her playfully. "I didn't know you and Mitsui have a thing!"

Shellagh shook her head. "We don't have a-a thing. We're just friends."

"Yeah, Haruko, they're just friends," snapped Zoë from Shellagh's other side. "Leave it alone." She didn't look at her sister but there was a hard glint in her green eyes as she stared at the court.

Haruko looked at Shellagh with a startled expression on her face. Shellagh just shrugged at her but inside she was wincing at Zoë's tone. She knew her twin was still not ready to accept that Mitsui wasn't to blame entirely of the past and that the two of them were friends again. She just hoped Zoë would stop being angry with him and become friends with him too.

Zoë ignored Mitsui, who came to Shellagh after the practice game but she was watching him at the corner of her eye. _Just one move, Mitsui, and your toast_, she thought darkly. She was however sidetracked from her grim thoughts when she saw Rukawaenter the storage room with all the balls they used for this practice. _Good enough time as any to tell him about Saturday._ She was almost near the door when the gaggle of ecstatic teenage girls shoved her way from her destination. They were crowding the door where Rukawa disappeared to and Zoë didn't have a hard time to know what was happening. She heard enough as it is.

"Rukawa, Rukawa, Rukawa!" some chanted.

"You're really great, Rukawa!" exclaimed one.

Another one was about to say something but fainted instead when Rukawa moved forward to get out of the small room. His dark blue eyes were a bit murderous but his cheering squad didn't notice. All they cared about was their hero standing with them. Zoë did and was really amused by it. She waved her hand high to get his attention and motioned to her wristwatch. She mouthed, "Later" and then walked away back to Shellagh.

Rukawa watched her go and was wishing that he could call her for help. He couldn't stand being with these girls, as if he was a movie star or something. He was a basketball player not an actor. As usual, he pushed his way without saying a word but the idiot girls were still cooing and aahing at him. He made his way to the locker room and didn't come out until the cheering squad left the gym. He was washing his sweaty face when he noticed Hanamichi smiling at him slyly.

"What do you want, asshole?" he couldn't help but ask.

Surprisingly, Hanamichi didn't rise to the bait. His smile actually widened. "I didn't know you and Zoë have a thing."

Rukawa continued washing. "What are you talking about? What thing?"

"You know, you sly fox. You and Zoë have been going out."

"We haven't been anywhere together."

Ryota chuckled, hearing the conversation. "Then you are one stupid fox, Rukawa."

Rukawa ignored them, not understanding what they were trying to say.

"Haven't you noticed how attractive Zoë is?"

Silence. Rukawa wiped his face with his towel.

Hanamichi and Ryota exchanged glances. Then Ryota asked tentatively, "Rukawa, are you gay?"

"Rukawa's GAY?!" bellowed Hanamichi, surprised with the question.

The whole locker room fell into utter stillness. Every eye was on Rukawa, breaths held.

Rukawa merely tossed the wet towel over his shoulder and replied, "I'm not like you, asshole." And left it at that.

Then every eye turned to Hanamichi and he growled, "What are you looking at? He's obviously just making me angry."

"Is that what Haruko is for? A smokescreen so people won't know you're gay?" teased Ryota who knew perfectly well the red-haired monkey was straight.

Hanamichi gasped and ran after Ryota who moved quickly out of his line of vision. The whole team was laughing hard.

Quiet at his corner, Mitsui closed his locker and headed toward the door. "Where are you going so fast, Mitsui?" asked Akagi.

"None of your business, Akagi."

Hanamichi, hearing Mitsui, crowed, "Mi-chan's got a girl! Mi-chan's got a girl!"

All eyes turned to the blushing Mitsui. "Shut up, Hanamichi!" he hissed.

Hanamichi let out a big aggravating laugh. "So, it's true about you and Shellagh! Hahahahahaha!!"

Akagi looked sharply at him, his eyes turned into slits. "Really?"

"We're just friends, Akagi. Everybody knows that." Mitsui turned a hard glare towards Hanamichi who was about to open his mouth again. Hanamichi closed it and stifled his laughter instead.

"Captain, are you jealous?" asked Ryota with big eyes.

Mitsui met Akagi's steely gaze and held it. "No," answered Akagi and also left it at that. 

Mitsui glared at Hanamichi again and left the locker room with his teammates' antics. He saw Shellagh immediately, waiting for him by the gym's entrance. "Ready to go?" he asked when he reached her.

Shellagh nodded, smiling brightly. "Yes." She turned to Zoë who avoided looking at them. "I'll walk home with Mitsui since you'll wait here for awhile, okay?"

Zoë shrugged without saying a word. Mitsui lifted a hand towards her and thought better of it. He said, "Bye, Zoë."

Zoë rolled her eyes and replied before moving away, "Whatever."

Shellagh glanced at Mitsui apologetically as they left the gym.

***

AN: Okay, so he's not gay, Hanamichi was just making a big deal out of nothing...Reviews please!!!!


	10. A Kiss

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews, people! Keep it coming. (",)

Author's note2: About Akagi, well, I haven't really thought what his role is in this story. I'm still exploring the possibilities...hehe...but I'll let you know in the succeeding chapters. Thanks again for reviewing!!! (",)

Chapter 10: A Kiss

Zoë sat on the bleachers, waiting for Rukawa, her thoughts black and unpleasant. She tried not to think about her sister and Mitsui but seeing them together was making it difficult. She was brooding over that fact when she saw a shadow fall on her. "Hi."

Rukawa moved his head in response. "What's wrong with you?"

"How do you know something is wrong with me?"

"You're quiet."

"I'm not _always_ noisy, you know."

Rukawa slung his bag over his shoulder. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine with me. I'm going home."

Zoë watched him turn around. "Oh, all right," she said, giving in. She got up from the bleacher and together they walked the way home. "I just don't like it that Mitsui and Shellagh are friends again. I don't like Mitsui. Period."

"Again?"

"We knew Mitsui long before we moved to this town and BELIEVE me when I say I should have stopped Shellagh from getting to know him at all if I knew what he was going to do."

"What did he do?"

"He broke my sister's heart by disappearing one summer long ago without a word to her. He's a jerk," she added bitterly.

"And you're angry only because of that?"

"It's enough to make me mad! He hurt her and it hurt me too, to see Shellagh hurting over him."

Rukawa cocked his head towards her. "But you said they're friends now."

"I did say that and they are. Mitsui explained the reason why he left and Shellagh forgave him. They're starting to see each other again but I don't trust Mitsui that he won't hurt her this second time around."

"And?"

"What 'and'?"

"There's something you're not telling me. Why are you so mad? It doesn't seem to be enough that Mitsui left your sister."

Zoë looked at him suspiciously. "What are you, a sorcerer?" She sighed. "I am angry because of the reasons I've just told you. But I'm angrier because I'm afraid that if Mitsui breaks Shellagh's heart again, my sister will turn away from me and cut me off. Just like what happened before. She closed herself from me because she couldn't talk about Mitsui with me...to anyone. It hurt me that she couldn't trust me enough to understand. I don't want that to happen again."

Rukawa was taken aback with the tears that glistened in her eyes. In all the weeks that he knew her, he never saw her in a vulnerable moment. She was always cheerful, a challenging grin glued to her lips and teasing him almost mercilessly. He didn't know what to do about her in this state. He was clumsy in social activities and he was afraid that he couldn't help her when he felt that he really wanted to.

Her hand shot out and gripped his own, tugging him closer to her and Rukawa instinctively understood that she just needed him there. Words weren't really needed, just his presence to calm her down and make her less afraid. If that was all she wanted, he was capable enough to grant her that. Rukawa's other hand went over her shoulder and pulled her in a comforting hug.

Zoë's eyes opened wide when she felt him pull her to him. She suddenly realized that the moron-on-a-bike was actually embracing her. She took a peek at his face and saw him staring down at her. Their eyes held.

Rukawa couldn't explain it but he saw something in her green eyes that responded to something way deep inside of him. He brought his face nearer to hers, thinking that he might be able to see the explanation if he looked deeper.

Zoë was mesmerized. He was so cute! This was the first time she'd gotten this close to him and he looked even better. She wondered what he'd do if she leaned in and kissed him. She smirked as she ignored all thought after that and moved in, pressing her mouth to his. She felt the surprised gasp that he emitted from her action but she continued to kiss him.

Rukawa felt his brain overload as soon as Zoë's lips touched his. He was in shock as this was the first time a girl kissed him...It was also his very first time to kiss a girl. Obviously, he didn't know what to do in situations like this so he settled his hands on her shoulders to push her away only to stop when he felt the first beginnings of pleasure course through him.

Zoë sighed inwardly as she ended the kiss. He really was too cute for words. She moved away from him to look at his face when the realization of what she did belatedly sank in. _How could I do that?_ A blush spread to her face and neck as she waited for him to say something but Rukawa continued to gaze at her blankly. "Uh, sorry about that," she said lamely.

Rukawa shook his head as if coming out of a daze. He straightened and removed his hands from her shoulders. He cleared his throat and noticed that his gym bag had fallen to the ground. He immediately picked it up. When Zoë thought they were going to be forever shy with each other, Rukawa spoke up. "Why did you do that?"

Zoë felt herself blush harder. "Well, because I was...um, ah...grateful for your...comfort and understanding!" she exclaimed as the idea popped in her head.

"Oh."

Never the coward in all her short life, Zoë couldn't help but finally admit, "And...Honestly, it's because I...wanted to."

"Why?" he asked in surprise, not fully comprehending.

"You're just so cute, Rukawa," teased Zoë, then she pinched his cheek playfully. "No wonder a lot of girls fall for you all the time."

It was Rukawa's turn to blush. He looked away and said, "Let's go home. It's late."

"Okay," she agreed, understanding that Rukawa was a bit embarrassed and he didn't know what to do next but to change the subject. Zoë picked up her also fallen school bag and walked beside him. They were about to turn the corner when she felt his hand slip through her own. She grinned to herself as she thought, _I'm impressed. He learns quickly._

***

AN: Sorry, it's so short. I just wanted to focus on Zoë and Rukawa intimately for now. But I hope the 'incident' *grin* between them made up for the brevity of this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! (",)


	11. The Carnival

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Some of you may have wondered what this Saturday thing was that Zoë was going to tell Rukawa but because of certain things that happened that afternoon (hmm...the kiss? Hehe!) it completely slipped out of her mind! So, here's where you find out. Keep the reviews coming, ok?

Chapter 11: The Carnival

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey fox-eyes."

"Who's this?" came the irritable reply.

"The most beautiful girl on earth. Haha!"

"Zoë."

"Yeah. Listen, are you busy today?"

Rukawa glanced at his disheveled room and remembered the dirty dishes in the sink. "No."

"Great! Then you can come with me, my sister and the jerk to the carnival this afternoon. It'd be fun."

"You just want me to come so that you won't have to face Mitsui alone."

Zoë made a buzzing sound, like the ones in game shows. "Wrong! Of course not."

Silence from the other line.

"Okay, okay, you're right. I don't want to see him or even talk to him so that would make me walk around the carnival alone and I don't want that so I thought of you and said to myself, 'hey, Rukawa can come with me."

"You finally admit that you do talk to yourself?"

"Haha. Well, will you come? Please!"

Rukawa glanced at the pile of dirty clothes on the floor of his room and winced as he heard in his head his mother's sermon before she left for work that morning. "One condition."

"What?"

"Come here early and I'll tell you."

"Why do I smell something fishy?"

"Come early or I won't go."

"Fine. I'll be there in an hour."

"Okay. See you."

"Wait! Rukawa."

"What?"

"Just so you know." Her voice dropped low as she whispered, "I invited you because I wanted you to be with me, too."

Rukawa felt his ears redden and replied just as quietly, "I know."

A soft click echoed from the other line.

"I can't believe you made me wash dishes!" complained Zoë, as she shoved cotton candy in her mouth. "My hands are all red from the hot water and soap!"

"If you didn't help me with my chores, I wouldn't be here with you right now."

"Yeah, well, you should at least be grateful," she grumbled.

"Hey, it's one favor for another. Gratitude is not included."

Zoë socked Rukawa's arm. "Hmph. Ingrate."

"Zoë," called Shellagh. "We'll meet at the entrance around 5, okay?"

Zoë nodded noncommittally. "Whatever."

Mitsui nodded at Rukawa who returned the gesture. Since they weren't really friends and didn't share any companionship outside basketball practices, a nod to each other was their only acknowledgement.

Zoë scowled at Mitsui as he passed by her with Shellagh. "Jerk," she muttered under her breath. She grabbed Rukawa's hand and pulled him to the other direction.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere far away from them!" she almost snarled. "I just can't take this. It's bad enough I see them together in school but even in my free time I have to...to...ARGH!"

Rukawa saw the basketball rings as he listened to Zoë's ranting. What she obviously needed was a distraction. "Zoë, I bet I can score more shots from you in that basketball booth."

Zoë glanced at him sharply. "What did you say?"

"You heard me."

"No, obviously, I haven't. YOU want to have a shooting contest against MOI? Isn't that a little brave of you to challenge the best?"

"Brave enough to face a LOSER like yourself."

Zoë gasped. Her face formed a glare. "Why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

"Just did. I say a 100 bucks will be the prize."

"Make that 200 and the consolation is the stuff you win from the booth."

"You're on," he replied.

Zoë marched toward the gaming booth and slapped some bills on the table that separated the people from the rings. "You better pray your lucky stars that you lose this one."

"Don't count on it." Rukawa smiled inwardly as she shot 3 balls that all went inside the ring. 

Unbeknownst to him, it was not lost on Zoë that he just manipulated her into forgetting Mitsui. She was smiling to herself because she knew he did this for her and not just to challenge her to his favorite game. _It gets better and better_, she thought gleefully.

Shellagh looked over at Mitsui and once again, she felt as if she wanted to burst into laughter. He was so cute, sitting on the metal bench and gazing out to the larger and scarier rides with pure longing in his eyes. He remembered that she didn't like fast and high rides that he led her to the slow ones without even asking her if she wanted to ride them. They've ridden in the carousel, the bump cars, the go-carts, and every slow and on the ground ride that the carnival had. Now they were sitting on the uncomfortably wet, metal bench of one of the swan boats floating on the huge pond in the center of the theme park.

"Mi-chan?" He looked at her and she couldn't help but giggle when she saw him attempt to conceal his earlier expression. "You're not enjoying this, are you?"

Mitsui gave her a sheepish smile. "You noticed?"

"Can't help not to," she answered, giving a smile of her own. "You've been staring at those rides for the past hour."

"I'm sorry. I know you don't like those kind of –"

"How would you know since you never asked me?" she interrupted.

"Are you trying to tell me that you want to ride those?" he clarified, pointing at the objects in question.

Shellagh laughed at his comical expression of looking half-surprised and half-disbelieving. "Well, not the really scary ones with the 8 loops back and forth. But, nevertheless, yeah."

Mitsui's jaw dropped open. "No way. How'd you learn to do that?"

Shellagh rolled her eyes in exasperation while grinning the whole time. "I tried it!"

"When? Did someone force you?"

"It was a couple of years back. Zoë didn't particularly force me. BRIBE would be a better word for it. It wasn't a pretty picture the first dip down those tracks but it got a little better when the few dips, turns and loops kept coming."

Mitsui chuckled. "I wish I could have seen it."

"You can see it right now," replied Shellagh, impishly. "But I tell you, I'm not scared anymore. I won't throw up or do anything that might make me look bad."

"I'll see you try the fastest and biggest ride here," he challenged.

"Except that one."

Mitsui laughed. "Not scared, huh?"

"Almost."

They sat back again on the metal seat after the laughter receded, enjoying each other's presence. After a while, a thought entered Shellagh's mind. She had been chewing on this thought for a few days now and she kept forcefully pushing it at the back of her mind every time it crept up. Now was another example of those times when it kept pushing back up again and she was still uncertain.

She looked at Mitsui and her heart jumped when she saw that he was looking straight at her, as if sensing her doubtful and unsure feelings at that very moment. He slowly took her hand in his and squeezed in assurance. At that very instant, the answer dawned on her.

"Mi-chan, I –"

"You don't have to say it, Shellagh, if you're not sure. I'm not forcing you to do anything."

Shellagh brought her free hand to land on top of both their hands. "No, it's nothing like that. I just have to tell you something and I think this is the right time to say it. I've been thinking about us a lot lately and I've decided." She took a deep breath for strength and added, "I think we should be together, you know. M-More than friends. If that's what you want too..."

Mitsui's hand tightened around her own, doubts flitting in his mind. "Of course, I want to. But are you sure?"

"Yes," answered Shellagh with more confidence. "I can't really explain what I'm feeling right now. But you've always made me smile and feel good about myself."

"I don't want you to do this because you feel you have to," he replied glumly.

"No, silly! I'm doing this because I want to." Then softly she added, "When I'm with you, you always make me happy, Mi-chan."

"I do?"

Shellagh nodded, wanting to assure him with her feelings. "You've always done that to me. Even before, just being with you matters more than being with other people I've been friends with for a long time."

A slow grin replaced the somber expression on Mitsui's face, as his doubts disappeared. He removed his hand from hers and took it around her shoulders, wrapping her into one big hug. "You don't know how much _you_ make me happy just by telling me this."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Mitsui leaned in closer and pressed his lips on her forehead while he said teasingly, "Then you won't mind if we get out of this boat and go to the wild rides, right?"

Shellagh laughed softly. "Nope. Just as long as it's a ride that I can take."

"You got it."

After three successful shots, she turned to him and raised an eyebrow haughtily. "Beat that."

Rukawa stepped up beside her and got the first ball from the teenage boy inside the booth. He cupped his hands around the ball and threw it toward the net. It went in beautifully. He shot a smirk at Zoë and turned to receive the next ball. After two successful shots, he turned to her again and gestured toward the net. "Your turn."

Zoë elbowed him when she reached for the ball. She felt her heart beating with excitement from the prospect of winning against Rukawa. It would be another chance for her to tease him, to try and make him smile and to infuriate him further that he lost to her. _And right in front of a crowd too,_ she thought to herself gleefully. 

After a couple of sets, a crowd had suddenly gathered around them, apparently enthralled with their talent and skill in shooting. But secretly watching also because of the fact that Rukawa was competing against a girl who knew what she was doing and could really hold her own ground. It was the last round, their competitive natures were at a peak and with people looking on, the two felt that they had to be better than the other was.

Zoë bent her knees and paused before taking a shot. The air was filled with anticipation; and tension so thick that one can cut it with a knife. She let go of the ball and as if in slow motion, it arced gracefully to the net. Concertos seemed to sing in Zoë's mind as she envisioned her victory. She smirked at Rukawa's image of abject horror and shock with her gloating so smugly. 

Zoë didn't even see it coming. So engrossed was she in her smug thoughts that she didn't notice at first the ball hitting the ring and falling straight to the floor. She had lost a point. SHE LOST A POINT.

Groans and sighs were emitted in the air while Zoë, eyes wide open, went into shock. _That didn't happen, did it? I didn't just lose to, fox-eyes, did I?_

Rukawa had a little smirk playing on his lips. _Now on to the kill_, he thought to himself, mentally rubbing his hands together. _I'm going to win_. He was about to say something snidely when he heard two guys' conversation behind him.

One of them sighed. "Well, that was too good to be true." 

"Yeah," the other one piped in. "She's just a girl, anyway."

Rukawa frowned and he saw that Zoë heard them too because of the death glare that formed on her face directed at the two guys. He reached for the ball from the guy manning the booth and threw it at her, which she caught effortlessly. "Is that it?" he asked in a low voice that only reached Zoë's ears.

"What?" she snapped.

"Is that all you can do?" he taunted. "Are you letting me win?"

Zoë's hands clenched around the ball, her face passive but her dark green eyes glinted with fury. "Not even on your life, Rukawa. Not even then." She turned away from him at that point; her anger urging her on to execute two perfect shots. She stepped back and allowed him to step in front of the net and make his turn. Since her blundered shot, the crowd dwindled; obviously assuming that Zoë was as good as a loser already.

Silence reigned among the remaining audience, concentrated on Rukawa's every move with the ball. Though most were sure that he would win, a few others still thought that Zoë had a chance to beat the ace of Shohoku.

Rukawa dribbled the ball, staring at the net above him. He could feel the eyes of every person around him but he did not let their gawking disturb his peace of mind. He knew what he was doing, ever since his young hands touched the round, smooth surface of a basketball. He had practiced endlessly how to play, how to move fast in the court, and how to shoot free throws or any kind of shots under pressure. He was good in his obsession and he knew his worth against every opponent he had played with.

He threw the ball towards the net, knowing its precise outcome down to the last second. The crowd whooped with glee as the first shot sank cleanly inside the net. He looked at Zoë mockingly while he accepted the second ball. He could see the loathing in her gaze and he looked away with a smug smile upon his lips. He dribbled rapidly, the thrill of the successful shot rushing through his arms. He brought the ball above his head with his hands and after a second, tossed the ball through the air.

***

AN: Evil cliffhanger, I know! I just couldn't help it. (",) Well, watch out for the next chapter. I could really sense that this story is almost at an end...but I still have a million more ideas that I want to try out after this is over so please check them out once I put them up. Thanks a lot for you guys who kept reading and reviewing my story! You know who you are. (",)

Why am I so sentimental today? (^_^)

Oh, yeah, about the money thing...I don't know much about Japan's currency so just don't mind it. (",)

Anyway, don't forget to give me reviews, people! Another BIG thanks!!!!


	12. Confusion

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's Note: Sorry I haven't been updating for quite some time but here's chapter 12! I hope you guys also enjoy it! Keep the reviews coming! (",)

Chapter 12: Confusion

Shellagh looked through the thinning crowd for her sister. The clock had struck 5pm, 15 minutes ago and people were starting to leave the theme park with no sign of Zoë whatsoever. She was starting to worry. "Do you think she forgot?" she asked Mitsui beside her.

Mitsui used his considerable height to look for Zoë atop of the people passing them by. "Zoë wouldn't just go home without telling you first. She's probably still playing at some game booth with Rukawa."

"Yeah, probably."

Mitsui slipped his fingers through her own, bringing her closer to his side. "Stop worrying. She's fine. She knows where we are."

Shellagh looked up at him and smiled softly, red tingeing her cheeks. She leaned in closer and placed her head on his shoulder. She glanced at their clasped hands and felt her blush deepen.

She didn't know how to express what she was feeling inside, this remarkable emotion that seemed to swallow her heart whole. She actually felt she could take on the world. She smiled at that and she suddenly had the urge to just wrap her arms around Mitsui tightly. She sighed silently in contentment instead. They were definitely back together, and this time, it was unquestionably more than friends.

"I was asked to join the school paper, Mi-chan. They wanted me to write a few feature articles for the next few weeks," she informed shyly while waiting. "I just wanted to tell you."

Mitsui gave her fingers a squeeze. "That's great! Are you going to do it?"

Shellagh nodded. "I think so. I've always wanted to work for a newspaper, even if it's just for school."

"I'm proud of you."

A breeze passed through, playing with her long dark hair and Shellagh lifted her hand to take the strands off her face. But Mitsui beat her to it and he tucked them behind her ear. She snuggled her head deeper on her shoulder.

"Shellagh, I think I see them," said Mitsui after a few moments of silence between them. Shellagh straightened and looked at the direction he was staring at. It was Zoë and Rukawa all right but something seemed wrong with this picture. Both were neither talking nor even acknowledging the other's presence. _As if they're both ignoring each other,_ mused Shellagh. _What happened?_

"Hey Rukawa! What took you guys so long?" asked Mitsui when they were nearer.

"Played basketball," was the only reply from the brooding teen.

__

Is that it? Did Zoë lose and got mad at Rukawa that's why they don't seem to be in good terms right now? questioned Shellagh to herself as she gazed at her sister's face. Zoë wasn't good in hiding her anger to her and she could see it in her twin's eyes. They were dark and cloudy, almost gray from the strong emotion. "Well, we better go. It's late," she said lamely. Shellagh glanced at Mitsui and caught his curious expression. She shrugged lightly and turned to Zoë. "Come on, Zoë. Walk with me."

"No, I don't want to intrude between you and your Mi-chan," she answered sarcastically and then moved away toward the exit.
__Did she see us earlier? Is that why she's angry? Shellagh looked at her sister's departing figure with a sinking heart, all the happy feelings she felt earlier vanishing. _What is wrong with her?_
Mitsui placed a hand on Shellagh's shoulder and motioned to follow the other two. "This was bound to happen, Shellagh. We both knew what Zoë's feelings are for me," he whispered.
Shellagh shook her head. "I don't think she's angry now because of that, Mi-chan. There's no way she could have known about us this soon. She didn't act this way this morning. Something must have happened between those two. I can't seem to put my finger on it."

Mitsui placed an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go. They're already gone."

Shellagh moved closer to him and allowed him to comfort her along the way.

"That was uncalled for, Zoë," said Rukawa quietly. "If you're angry at me, don't take it out on them."

"Shut up," she snarled in a low voice. "Don't FUCKING talk to me!"

Rukawa pulled her arm, stopping her from taking another step. "What is wrong with you? Why are you mad?"

Zoë looked away, avoiding his probing eyes. She struggled to get her arm out of his steel grip. "Let me go."

Rukawa frowned at her. "Not until you tell me what's bugging you. You've been like this since that game we had and you're starting to piss me off. Aren't you glad that you won? Aren't you going to start making my life hell?"

Zoë turned her blazing eyes up at him and Rukawa almost took a step back from the fierce anger emanating there. "Won?" scoffed Zoë. "Funny you should say that because I didn't WIN. It wasn't I who did it. It was YOU who made ME win."

"What are you talking about? I did no such thing," he replied, his frown deepening.

"Don't lie to me! I know you well enough by now to know you're not telling the truth."

"You're talking nonsense."

"Am I?" she asked sarcastically. "I was there, Rukawa, and I saw you even when you first thought of it. Why couldn't you just have let it alone? Why did you have to go and be a hero? _I didn't need you_."

"I still don't understand."

Zoë flung his arm away from her, her anger giving her strength. "Are you that DENSE? You _purposely_ made those last two shots miss so that I could win. Why? Because you heard those two idiots muttering about me."

Realization dawned in Rukawa. _She knows_. He looked at her with a stoic expression but Zoë already saw the truth and acknowledgement in his eyes even before he tried to hide them. "You're wrong. I lost because I missed."

Zoë shook her head, emotions of anger, pain and sadness threatening to engulf her. She closed her eyes tightly before the tears could fall and moved away from him. "I didn't care what they said, Rukawa. Even if it was so mean. I know how good I am. Whatever people would say about me doesn't matter, as long as I know deep inside. I thought you think the way I do. I thought you looked past my being a girl and saw me as the person I am. But what you did made me see that I was wrong. You thought that I wasn't good enough."

Rukawa felt as if he was slapped on the face. "I don't think that way! I know how good you are, Zoë."

"No, you don't because you didn't trust me enough to handle that situation. You went ahead and 'saved' me from what those people would say about me. People who I don't even know! _I didn't need you_," she repeated evenly. "I could have ribbed you from winning and that would be it! I wouldn't feel hurt. I would have demanded a rematch. But that's what you did and that's what I feel right now. You can't know how much I feel humiliated because of what you did."

"Zoë," tried Rukawa but she moved farther and turned her back on him.

"Please. Don't say anything. Leave me alone. I don't think I can take what you're going to say."

Rukawa, shocked beyond belief from what just happened, stared helplessly at Zoë's retreating back.

***

AN: I know it's short but I promise to bring out the next chapter as soon as possible! Reviews please! Thank you! (",)


	13. Realizations

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Okay, here's the new chapter! I really need your comments and suggestions on this one because this made me STRUGGLE writing it. I'm still unsure about it so please let me know if there are some parts needed to have some cleaning or revising. (",) Enjoy! (",)

**Aeris**: Zoë did overreact a bit and you'll know the reason why in the following chapters. (",) Thanks for the comments though! (AND THAT GOES FOR ALL OF YOU!! c",) It made me rethink my ideas.

Chapter 13: Realizations

Rukawa leaned on the metal rail that squared off the rooftop, deep in his troubled thoughts. Days passed on to weeks and Rukawa was still unable to talk to Zoë. She avoided him and ignored him during classes, her eyes dark and indifferent. She didn't go to the team's practices anymore and it seemed empty without her there. He had come used to her cheerful presence in the gym, daring him with her sneers and smirks. Now, it was as if she was just a dream that flitted in and out of his life.

A waft of cool breeze sifted through his dark hair and he closed his eyes as he tried to find momentary peace within the soft gentle wind. 

He opened them again. _Who am I kidding? There is no place in the world that would give me peace long enough to forget everything in my mind._

He stared at the houses and buildings below him as other kinds of thoughts intruded his head. _And why should I care that she's angry with me and doesn't want to speak to me? Why should I remain troubled over her? What is she to me?_

A thought began to whisper in his mind, Because you like her

Rukawa stood, unmoving. _Like her?_

You've never met anyone like her. She intrigues you. 

_I don't know._

Your want to be with her equals your want to be the best basketball player in Japan

_No._

Yes, stop denying your feelings! 

_I don't have any feelings. I've tossed them all away when I decided to pursue my one goal._

Liar

_I am not._

Then face the truth

Rukawa woke up with a start, realizing he fell asleep standing up while he was leaning on the rail. _What was that? he asked himself, thinking about the voices in the dream he just had. He rubbed his hands over his face, weary from the onslaught of confusion and indecision that kept rushing through him. __What just happened?_

"Rukawa?"

Startled, he quickly turned around to look for the owner of the voice. It was Shellagh. She was standing in front of him, her blue eyes meeting his dead on but clouded with uncertainty.

"Can I talk to you?" she asked hesitantly.

Rukawa stared at her. The two of them never really shared a conversation before but he nodded warily, wondering what she wanted to say to him about Zoë. No doubt it was about Zoë. She wouldn't have sought him out if it weren't about her sister.

Shellagh sighed visibly in relief. "I don't have much time now because I have a meeting with the school paper so I'll make this brief. What did you do to Zoë? I don't want to offend you by asking but I don't like seeing my sister miserable."

The avenging angel, he mused to himself. Shellagh was usually quiet and shy around people she didn't really know, but Rukawa learned at that moment that her reserve vanishes when it's about the people she cares about. 

"She's mad at me," he answered simply.

"I can see that. She's been avoiding you and any mention of your name shuts her up. I've tried asking her several times the reason for this but she wouldn't tell me exactly. So you answer me. Why?"

Rukawa looked away from her piercing gaze. "I don't really know why she got mad at me," he admitted. "She just accused me of some stuff."

Shellagh abandoned her rigid stance before him to move and stand beside him instead. "Hmm…you can try telling me. I think I can help you," she offered gently. "I know my sister and maybe I would understand better than you do."

Rukawa glanced back at her and held her eyes, as if measuring her sincerity in this matter. After a moment, he moved his head in assent and then told her. He gave her a terse explanation but one she understood completely that after he spoke, she looked at him grimly. "There's something about Zoë that she obviously didn't tell you, something that happened to her before. I'm going to tell you about it because I think you should know so that you can see why she's this upset but you have to promise that it's going to stay with you. You can't tell anybody about it."

Rukawa frowned. "Fine. What is it?" 

Shellagh averted her gaze to the horizon. "You know how Zoë likes sports, right? She's very athletic and outgoing that even when we were young she'd always drag me to sport events. Since then, she would always join in clubs to learn. It was basketball that she liked immensely and practiced every waking moment. She dreamed of joining a basketball team but to all the schools we went to, there wasn't a team that she could play in because she's a girl. She tried talking to the school administration and the coaches and they saw how skilled she was but she was still not allowed. She was always pushed to playing volleyball."

Shellagh peeked at Rukawa and saw that his full attention was on her. She continued, "Then one day, frustrated to being denied the only thing she wanted, Zoë challenged the captain of the basketball team of our school then. The captain thought she was kidding but decided to indulge her. Suffice it to say that he almost lost. The guy, though he won, was really angry because it was a very close call and so told cruel things to her. 

"Like she would never get to play in a team because she's a girl. Also that she was never going to be good enough. He made jeering comments that no one was going to like a tomboy and she was better off converting herself into a full female. She was really hurt from what he said and for a time she stopped playing altogether. Fortunately, it wasn't long when we had to move again to another school."

"What happened then?" he asked.

"She tried being a 'girl'. She read fashion magazines, painted her nails, and wore dresses. What that guy said to her really hit a raw nerve in her that she tried to change. It was okay for a time but she couldn't really bury her love for the sport. And that love gave her the courage to forget what that jerk said and be true to herself. She started practicing again, training the skills she had. When she met Maki and Sendoh, she was glad that they respected her for what she can do and even taught her some moves. She began to hope again. And then you came and made her doubt herself."

Rukawa's eyebrows knotted into a perplexed expression on his handsome face. "What do you mean?"

Shellagh pursed her lips. _How am I going to make a blind idiot see? An idea formed in her head. "Look at it this way, what did you feel when you first played against Zoë before she revealed to you that she was a girl? Answer me truthfully."_

Rukawa frowned. "Tricked. She deliberately invited me to a competition in the court and I wanted to know if I was better than she was."

"And after?"

_Shocked. "Surprised as hell, then pissed that she almost beat me. She's a girl."_

"Exactly. Zoë pricked your ego because she almost won and you later found out she's female. You've never believed that girls can be better than boys, have you?"

Rukawa scratched his head. "Yes, not until she showed up. How is this related to Zoë again?"

"She's furious at you because you pricked her ego. Her _pride, Rukawa. Zoë has lots of it because it comes with how competitive she is and how good she is in what she enjoys. She no longer gives a damn about what people would say about her because she knows herself. But you, I think you made her remember that she's just a girl in a guy's world and she can never be good enough."_

"I did?"

Shellagh answered him patiently, "You made people think she was better than you by losing intentionally but she didn't need you to let others know. She didn't need a _boy show people she was a good basketball player. She could do that herself. I mean, she showed you. AND Sendoh and Maki. She's been showing people all her life."_

Rukawa looked at his hands, a twinge of guilt washing over him. "I only did it because I didn't want those people saying things like that about her. I thought she'd understand. I actually thought she'd be grateful."

"Yes, well, that's Zoë." Shellagh looked at the floor but actually seeing something else in her mind. She continued softly, "She doesn't really need to rely on others as long as she can rely upon herself. She made herself that way because of her past experiences."

Rukawa nodded slowly, finally aware of what Zoë meant that day. "I understand now." He straightened and glanced towards the door of the rooftop. "I have to tell her."

Shellagh reached out a hand and placed it on his arm to stop him. "Before you do, you also have to understand that she's also angry and probably hurt because she thinks you think lowly of her. What you did made her think this way. She already told you that she didn't care what others thought of her but actually, she does...when it's from people she cares about."

Rukawa looked away from the door and at Shellagh. "You mean, she cares about me?"

A corner of Shellagh's lips turned up. "Zoë wouldn't be this upset if she didn't. One more thing, Rukawa, I wouldn't advise talking to her about this today."

"Why?"

"Because she's not going to be able to see reason this early on. Give her a few days."

"It's already been a week, Shellagh."

"When Zoë gets really angry, it lasts very long. You'll just have to wait her out."

"I see."

Shellagh sighed inwardly in relief. _The blind finally have eyes!  "Well, I really have to go. Good luck."_

Rukawa stared at her. "Thank you," he muttered low.

Shellagh heard it and whispered back. "No problem."

Mitsui waited in the 3rd floor hallway for Shellagh, leaning on the wall. It was five minutes to practice when a soft hand touched his arm. He glanced toward it. "Hey. How'd it go?"

Shellagh smiled briefly at him. "It went better than I expected. He told me everything Zoë didn't tell me."

"Which is?"

"The most important part! He told me that they had a shooting contest at the carnival and he let her win on purpose because he didn't want the people watching them think she's a mediocre player because she's a girl."

"Mediocre, huh? Where do you get your words?" teased Mitsui.

Shellagh punched him lightly on the arm. "I read. Anyway, that's far from what Zoë told me. She just said she was pissed at him and left it at that."

Mitsui smoothed the frown on her forehead with one of his fingers. "You're worried again."

Shellagh smiled at him sheepishly. "I can't help not to. Zoë's been unhappy since then."

"Have any ideas that would cheer her up?"

"None, as of this moment. I just hope Rukawa does something to settle this after our little talk. Though, he did look willing enough. I can see that he makes her happy and if they're back to being friends again, I think things will get back to normal. It's really all up to the both of them."

"Yeah, just like us." Mitsui tugged her hand to walk along the hallway toward the office of the school paper. "I haven't spent time with you for quite awhile now. I mean our lunch breaks are swamped with my basketball practice and your school meetings and with the Inter-high competitions coming up I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to see you for a long time."

"I know what you mean. The editor of the paper wants me to cover the play of the theater club and I don't mean just go watch their play. I have to go to their every meeting to see if anything is happening. That'll be the next two weeks!" she complained.

"What does that have to do with your article? Aren't you just supposed to critique their play?"

Shellagh sighed. "The editor said that this was good practice for me. What are we going to do?"

Mitsui placed an arm around her. "Maybe we could see each other after my practice and the theater club's practice? Don't they end the same time? We could eat out or I can walk you home."

Shellagh smiled up at him ecstatically. "Trust you to find a way. That's why I love you. You make me happy so much."

Mitsui froze. "What did you say?"

"That you would find a way..."

"No, you said something else."

Shellagh shook her head and this time playfully. "Oh, that. Not until you say it."

They were near the paper's office and there weren't very many people in the hall but Mitsui leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

***

The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello, may I please speak with Zoë?"

"Oh my! I haven't heard your voice in such a long time!"

Laughter trickled through the phone. "Shellagh, is that you?"

"Yes! How are you?"

"I'm fine. It's great to hear your voice. It's been too long, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has but longer for Zoë. I mean, both of you were real close. I'm just the third wheel."

"Ha! You? It was me! I couldn't keep up with the two of you together."

"That's real sweet. You were always too sweet for me."

"As you used to say before. Anyway, since I'm talking to you I want you to know that I'll swing by your school sometime next week."

"You are? That's great!"

"Just don't tell Zoë yet. I'd like to tell her myself."

"Sure, I won't. Well, I'll go get her now for you. Hang on, okay?

"I will."

Shellagh placed the receiver down and raced towards Zoë's room. _She'll be so happy he called._

***

AN: Who could that be? You'll find out next chapter. (",)  Oh, yeah, about the sport teams in schools, I don't know for sure if there are female basketball teams in the schools in Japan so I just assumed that there's none and that volleyball is the ultimate female sport. Keep the reviews coming! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!


	14. When Conflicts Arise

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Read on!

Chapter 14: When Conflicts Arise

The sun slowly made its ascent, casting a beautiful reddish glow across town. Zoë marveled at the pretty sight of the warm light reaching the farthest horizon she could see. She hardly saw a glimpse of morning such as this because usually, at this hour, she would still be fast asleep. Unless something was bothering her mind. Like now was.

Zoë leaned over her windowsill, pressing her forehead to the cool glass. Even with the glorious morning view in front of her, it still didn't take away the images of that day. She felt helpless and uncertain, angry and confused. And she also felt the flood of tears rising upward from deep within.

She didn't know why she was so melodramatic, feeling sad almost all the time and wanting to cry. It was really just a simple thing. Rukawa never thought her as an equal. All this time he thought she was just a girl who loved basketball but was never going to be better than a guy. It made her feel like a complete fool for even thinking that he could look past her being a girl.

__

It's my fault, thought Zoë. _I was the one who started all this. Haven't I learned from my past? If I hadn't been too intent on revenge against him, everything wouldn't have come to this. I wouldn't feel hurt right now. I wouldn't feel I overreacted. I wouldn't have fallen in love with him._

In love, she snorted to herself. She never thought she'd ever be in love. It just seemed so trite, so out of her element. She met and dated guys before, each one she liked differently because of a particular asset that they had. But she never liked a guy and fallen for him completely. Until Rukawa. Somehow, he called to all of her, appealed to all of her. He had his moody and weird ways but it wasn't all that bad as she first thought. She kind of liked it.

__

That's why it hurt more, she thought bitterly as the incident replayed in her mind's eye. _Being in love with him made me think that he wasn't like all the other guys who thought I was just a girl. I thought he considered me special._

Zoë wiped away the few tears that escaped and turned away from the bright sunlight peeking through the feathery clouds. Night has faded and a new day was already beginning. It was time to get ready for school.

Zoë, dressed in her school uniform with her bag slung over her shoulder, trudged slowly after Shellagh. She was quiet, in no mood to talk or even exchange short pleasantries with her parents before they left for school. She was just walking, looking down at her feet, deep in her own mind's solitude. Shellagh kept glancing at her, also unable to voice out her questions and concerns. Zoë had made it clear that she didn't want to talk.

__

So this was how she felt when I wouldn't talk about Mi-chan, mused Shellagh silently. _Worried and left out._

It was like that all day as it had been for more than a couple of weeks now. The usually buoyant and happy person was gone and replaced by the somber and subdued individual that was a drastic change for Zoë. Oh, she would sometimes finally answer when asked, reply when spoken to but it lacked a presence of an emotion in her voice. Something indeed troubled her and it certainly showed.

"Is Zoë okay, Shellagh?" asked Haruko after the last class ended. The sister in question was nowhere in sight in the hallway. "I was telling her earlier that I noticed Rukawa was a bit off lately during practice and she just turned away as if she didn't hear me."

Haruko was not the first one to have asked about Zoë's downcast mood to her. During the months that they've been in Shohoku, Zoë had made a lot of friends and all had expressed their worries over her changed behavior. 

Shellagh looked at Haruko intently before she answered her question. From all the people the twins met, she was their most favorite person. Haruko was friendly, caring, funny and their most trusted confidant. She knew about the twins' past and would not only worry about Zoë, she would also try to help.

"You shouldn't talk about Rukawa to Zoë right now," replied Shellagh quietly after seeing the concern in the girl's eyes.

A little alarmed, Haruko leaned forward and whispered, "Why? What happened?"

Shellagh sighed and then told her all she knew about the sudden distancing between Zoë and Rukawa. She felt a little better to confide in a friend who also deeply cared for her sister.

"Why, that idiot!" exclaimed Haruko softly, enraged in her friend's behalf. "How could he not know?"

Shellagh shrugged. "Rukawa's some piece of work. Zoë said that he doesn't know much about social relationships. And he didn't know what happened to her before so he couldn't have understood her very well."

Haruko shook her head in disbelief. "But still. I knew he was oblivious to everything else except basketball but I didn't know he was THAT oblivious."

"_Obliviously_ and unintentionally, he hurt my sister and now she's staying away from him."

"Poor Zoë," uttered Haruko forlornly. "They really looked cute together. I thought she was finally the girl to peg Rukawa down and that idiot pushed her away without even knowing."

"Hmm...Maybe Zoë is important to him. Maybe my sister did peg him down. When I talked to him, he seemed eager to make peace with her."

"Then why is Zoë still ignoring him?"

"I told him not to yet. She's still very angry with him." Shellagh glanced as she glimpsed her sister start to approach them but was stopped by someone. Her gaze followed them as they both left the hallway. "To do so now would only make Zoë dig her heels deeper and ignore him for the next couple of centuries."

Haruko whistled low in reaction. "Whoa, mighty long time. I just wish I could do something for her. She really seems out of it lately."

"Yeah, so do I."

Haruko placed a comforting hand on Shellagh's arm. "Everything will get better. It always does." As the atmosphere seemed to grow more dismal, she changed the subject, a gleam in her eye. "So, how are you and Mitsui?"

Shellagh gave her a startled expression on her face. "W-What are you talking about?"

"C'mon, Shellagh. You can't hide that you and Mitsui have a relationship. It's kind of obvious with the two of you gawking at each other every second," teased Haruko

Shellagh knew her face was all red. "Gawk?"

"Yeah, _gawk_. I couldn't believe my own eyes when I saw you guys last week outside the theater club's room. You two saw no one but each other."

"That's not true!"

Haruko smiled slyly. "Yeah. Right. How long has this been going on?"

Shellagh heaved another sigh. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Haruko laughed. "Nope! I know what I saw. Spill."

"It's really new," she replied hesitantly. "We've only been together for two weeks." 

"And you didn't tell me?! Why are you guys hiding it?"

Shellagh gulped in apparent unease as she felt guilt seep in her mind. _If everybody didn't know, then Zoë wouldn't either._ Ever since that day in the carnival, she hasn't told Zoë anything about what happened between her and Mitsui. That things had changed for the two of them. She was going to as soon as they came home but in Zoë's awful mood, her sister didn't need another bombshell to be thrown at her. Until now, Shellagh has not yet found the right time to tell her since then. "We're not hiding it…exactly."

"What do you mean?

"It's not really a secret but we're just not telling anybody."

Haruko rolled her eyes. "That's still a secret. The reason is?"

Shellagh closed her locker slowly. "Well, you've noticed how Zoë has this problem with Mi-chan, right?"

"Who wouldn't miss the mental daggers that she keeps shooting at him whenever he's around?"

"Er, right. So, I told Mi-chan that we shouldn't let you guys know yet if I haven't told Zoë about us first. I don't want her hearing from somebody else."

Haruko nodded. "I can see what you mean. Zoë would definitely not appreciate finding about you and Mitsui through the grapevine. When are you going to tell her?'

"I'm hoping after things go back to normal with this Rukawa business. I don't think she's ready with everything that's happened to her recently."

"Then I promise I won't tell her or anybody else for that matter until then."

Shellagh smiled. "Thanks."

Haruko grinned in response. "So, how is everything between your _Mi-chan_? It's a good thing that Mitsui understands and respects your decision not to tell your sister yet. Otherwise, it could be one huge headache."

Shellagh stifled the urge to rub her already aching head. "Well, he does understand. But he has been asking _a lot_ lately if I told her already."

Haruko grimaced. "Ouch. I can see why you're so stressed all the time."

"Yeah. But other than that, everything's great. Though I don't get to see him as often as I want to."

Haruko nodded in understanding. "Inter-high competitions. Sakuragi's so engrossed in winning that he goes to the gym early."

Shellagh sighed. "It's so hard to talk to Mi-chan nowadays or see him, especially since I'm busy myself. No chance to talk more or just be in each other's company."

Haruko sighed too, thinking of the redheaded genius. "No alone time at all."

The two met each other's eyes and after a beat, both cracked up in laughter.

"We're so pathetic," said Haruko.

Shellagh shook her head in wonder. "And over those boys, too."

"Just goes to show how crazy we are over them." Haruko hooked an arm around Shellagh's shoulders. "Well, let's go find Zoë. She seems to be taking her time doing whatever. I'll walk home with you girls."

"Oh, I can't walk with you today because I have meeting." She frowned at that. "But you can walk with Zoë on the way. C'mon, I'll go with you to tell her. I saw her go outside." 

And the two friends went off.

"Are you sure it's him? I don't see him anywhere." Zoë scanned the vast schoolyard, hoping to find a familiar tall figure in its midst. 

The shy boy beside her scratched his head. "Well, there can be only one Sendoh Akira that I know of and he really looks the part," he answered, blushing. "He said he would be waiting here."

Zoë felt a twinge of relief and impatience. It has been awhile since she's seen him. Too long, in fact, that she missed him a lot. He was the closest friend she ever had in all the schools she went to and was really a very important person in her life. Hearing from him last week was both a pleasure and a surprise. As now was, with his visit in her school but she didn't know what made him disappear in such a short time before she got there. She was going to begin looking for him when one of her classmates ran up to her.

"You'll never believe who's here in the gym!"

Zoë almost rolled her eyes. _Great. Replaced by basketball._ "No, tell me."

"Sendoh Akira!! The ace of Ryonan is here!"

Zoë nodded. "Thanks for telling me. I'll just follow him there."

With a curious expression on her face, the classmate turned to the blushing boy who was staring adoringly at Zoë's back. "What did she mean by that?"

"Sendoh was looking for her earlier before he went to the gym."

The smell of intrigue filled the air. "Really! Ohmigosh, Zoë did say she was in the same junior high as Sendoh before. Maybe they were a couple there!"

The boy sighed wistfully. "I would think it true if it were. All the beautiful girls are always taken by popular guys."

The girl didn't hear the rest of his sentence because she was already too far away, running towards her friends to tell them the latest news.

Unbeknownst to the conversation of the people she left behind, Zoë braced herself before she entered the gym. Rukawa would be there and she didn't know how she was going to handle the rush of emotions when she would see him and he would see her. It was easier to ignore him in class because he was usually sleeping during lecture. But in the court, he would be alert and staring at her in that disconcerting way he had, which he seemed to always do when they happen to bump into each other in the halls. She didn't understand the reason why he was looking at her as if he knew something and wanted to talk to her about it. But he never approached her, which she wouldn't allow anyway. 

Zoë shook her head to clear her thoughts and took a deep breath. She assured herself that it didn't matter if he was there, staring at her with those dark blue eyes. Sendoh was going to be with her in the gym and so would distract her from the bane of her existence. With that thought in mind, she walked inside.

Zoë didn't see him, not yet. But what she did see first made her eyes widen and surprise register on her face. She saw Sendoh wearing his Ryonan jersey and doing warm-ups at the side of the court. She immediately walked up to him and innocently asked, "Playing basketball?"

Sendoh straightened from his lower body stretches and instantly enveloped her in a bear hug. "Hey, Zoë girl!"

Zoë laughed out loud, a real, honest-to-goodness laugh that came from the heart as she returned the embrace. It was a relief to forget most of her problems and just be happy. She missed this guy so much that it felt great seeing him again. He obviously felt the same way. "_Hmph._ I thought you're here to see me," she teased. She lifted her cheek from his neck and met his eyes.

"Hey, you know I am," answered Sendoh, looking down at her warmly. "I just need to settle something first with that kid." 

"Kid?" muttered Zoë in puzzlement. Sendoh pointed with his head to someone behind her back and she followed his gaze. She froze. 

Rukawa was leaning on the far wall of the gym, appearing to be relaxed. But she can tell he was controlling himself for his hands were clenched into tight fists and his eyes boring into hers. She looked away quickly. "What do you want with R-Rukawa?" she asked, tripping over his name.

Sendoh nodded at Rukawa, a small smile upon his lips. "We're just going to have a little one-on-one. I don't often get the chance to play against him, you know."

"I didn't know you and R-Ru –" His name. Again. "_Him_ are friends."

Sendoh chuckled at that thought. "No, we're not friends. Major rivals, yes."

"Oh, I-I see."

Sendoh noticed the slight hitch in her voice and the change in her expression. She suddenly looked deflated and the sparkle in her eyes was receding. He lifted her chin to look at her more closely. "Something wrong?"

Zoë shook her head. "It's nothing." 

"Hey Sendoh!"

Sendoh smiled as he saw Shellagh moving towards them. Zoë moved out of his arms so that he could also give her sister a hug. 

"What's happening here?" asked Shellagh later, moving away from the tall player and looking pointedly at Sendoh's attire.

Sendoh scratched his head. "I'm getting that a lot, huh?" He winked at Zoë then turned to Shellagh. "I'm going to play basketball against Rukawa."

Shellagh's brows lifted. "Why?"

"Because they're rivals." Haruko stepped forward and held out her hand toward Sendoh. "I'm Haruko Akagi."

Sendoh was about to take her hand when it was swatted away from Haruko. They all turned to a steaming Sakuragi.

"Don't touch my girl, Sendoh," he fumed.

Haruko sighed and started dragging Hanamichi away. "Sorry about that," she called over her shoulder.

Shellagh stifled the grin about to form on her mouth as she watched Sakuragi's anger disappear and start to blush as Haruko calmly talked to him. _Putty in her hands, _she thought. Then a hand grazed her own and she turned around to see Mitsui. She smiled brightly in greeting. _Putty in his._

Shellagh turned to her sister and said, "I'll be back."

Zoë frowned as the two of them made their way to the door. But her attention was taken away from them when Sendoh asked her if she could wait for him a little while. "Sure. I'll just, um, come back when you're done, okay? I'll be outside when you finish this game and then we can catch up."

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to cheer me on?" he asked, jokingly.

Zoë smiled weakly, feeling Rukawa's hard stare more than ever. _I don't think I can take watching him, reminding me of what a fool I've been._ "I've got some stuff to do," she replied lamely. "If I finish early, I'll come right back and watch."

Sendoh looked at her for a minute and then back at Rukawa, still in his earlier position. "Okay. But later you tell me everything."

Zoë nodded, then walked away but not before she heard the question and the concern under those words.

***

AN: Well, that's chapter 14! Hope you like it! Give me reviews, please! I want to know how it turned out with you guys. Thanks! (",)


	15. The Unveiling

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who reviewed! I truly appreciate the compliments, the little notes and the encouragement to continue this story. (",)

**Icko14**: Hi! Yes, in this fic, Haruko and Hanamichi are a couple. c",)

**Aeris and super rookie**: I just couldn't resist bringing Sendoh into the mix. Hehe...C",)

**Cookies**: Thanks for making me an exception! *blush*

Chapter 15: The Unveiling

When Shellagh didn't see anyone outside the gym doors, she quickly stood on her toes and pecked Mitsui's chin. Then she looked about her furtively, making sure again that there were no prying eyes trained on them. She sighed in relief to herself and then smiled up at the dazed expression of her boyfriend.

"What was that for?" asked Mitsui, curiosity replacing the glaze in his eyes.

"I missed you, that's all." Shellagh trailed her fingers down his arm, which he caught in his own.

Mitsui smiled affectionately down at her and squeezed her hand. "Me, too." He brought his face closer to hers and gave her a proper kiss on the lips.

"Mi-chan!" she reprimanded softly, blushing profusely when he moved away. "Someone might see us."

"You started it," replied Mitsui, amused that she was whispering.

Shellagh opened her mouth to counter that when she realized that she couldn't. "Well, you didn't have to follow my example," she replied grumpily.

"But what a nice and sweet example it was," he teased, making her blush even more.

Shellagh pinched his forearm and then leaned on the wall near the entrance, looking up at him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, better now that you're here." He stretched out beside her and tilted his head up to the blue sky. "My life has been reduced to home-school-basketball-school-basketball-home. No time for fun."

"No time for me."

Mitsui scratched his head. "I did say _fun_, Shellagh, not girlfriend."

Shellagh raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, then I should –"

Mitsui chuckled. "I was kidding. Promise," he added when she still looked at him skeptically. "I barely see you that I live for our Lit classes, the only time I do."

"You better..." she muttered. 

Zoë walked away, unable to stay under Rukawa's intense gaze any longer. She knew the game started because of the sudden cheers that emitted from the people inside the gym. Somebody must have spread around to the students still in school that Sendoh was here and Rukawa was playing against him for a little one-on-one because there was such a great turnout of people watching the two of them. Of course, Rukawa's cheering squad was present and cheering harder than ever.

"A lot of girls are interested in you, especially your cheering squad, though you're as sociable as a hermit. Why don't you ask one of them to a date?"

"No."

"Oh, boy. We're back to the monosyllables again. Can't you give me a straight answer? Why don't you?"

"Can't be with girls like those. They're too talkative and girly," Rukawa replied impatiently.

Zoë laughed again. "Well, they can't help it! They are girls, you know."

"You're not like them," he pointed out. "And you're a girl."

Zoë shook her head to forget. _Liar._ Without looking back, even so much as to glimpse the activity behind her, she walked towards the entrance feeling that the whole wide world was resting upon her shoulders.

Suddenly, loud cheers erupted from within the gym. "Don't you have practice now?" asked Shellagh, hearing the noise inside.

Mitsui shrugged while playing with her fingers. "They're too busy watching Sendoh and Rukawa to be training so I have time to speak with you."

Shellagh glanced at her watch and sighed. "But apparently, I do not. I'm already late as it is."

"Since you are, might as well stay with me for a couple more minutes. We rarely get an opportunity like this."

Shellagh didn't have the heart to deny him. "Okay."

"So, how's everything with you?"

"Fine. My life has been reduced to home-school-meetings-school-more meetings-home. Do you see a pattern here?"

"Yup. We better get new lives."

Shellagh laughed at his quip. "I couldn't agree more."

After a few moments of silence, Mitsui glanced at her profile and then looked away. He asked nonchalantly, "Did you tell Zoë about us?"

She bit her lip. "No, not yet."

"Oh."

Shellagh took his hand and tugged it consolingly. "I'm sorry, Mi-chan. I can't tell her yet. With all these things happening to her, I don't think it's the right time."

"When is the right time?"

"When she's not troubled over Rukawa anymore." She placed her fingers on his cheek and forced him to look at her. "You do understand, right?"

Mitsui moved away from her touch. "I do but it's taking too long, Shellagh. I can't keep on hiding what we are."

"I know, I feel the same way. I really want to tell Zoë that we're together as a couple."

"I don't think you have to worry anymore, _sister_."

Shellagh stepped back from Mitsui and whirled around to the voice. She visibly paled when she saw Zoë staring at her with such hurt and resentment. "Z-Zoë. I can explain –"

Zoë raised her palm up at her, cutting what her twin was going to say. "Don't. I heard enough." Without looking at the two, she brushed past them.

Shellagh looked at Mitsui with a stricken expression on her face. She started to panic. "Ohmigod, Mi-chan, what am I going to do? She looked so hurt. Ohmigod! Why didn't I keep my stupid mouth shut!"

Mitsui, also shocked with the turn of events, tried to calm her. "It's alright. It's going to be okay."

Shellagh continued on, not hearing anything of his words. "Did you see the look on her face? I've never seen her so angry. What am I going to do?"

"She'll get over it after awhile."

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I have to talk to her. Right away."

"Weren't you the one who advised Rukawa that he should wait for a couple more days for her to calm down?" he pointed out. "I should wait that long before I talk to her."

Shellagh was dumfounded. "What? What do you mean "I"?"

"I think it's about time that I talk to her. She's angry with me and I'm the only one who can change that."

"Oh, no! No, no, no! Not a good idea!" she burst out.

Mitsui shook her shoulders gently. "Shellagh, you can't keep on putting yourself between us forever. She has to face me once and for all. It's the only way for her to understand me and what we feel about each other."

"But she'll be angrier," she said, her mouth drooping.

"I predict she will," he replied emphatically. "I expect that and I'll try my best to diffuse that great, big temper of hers and explain everything to her. You've got to trust me on this."

"I don't want to."

Mitsui sighed. "If it doesn't work then we'll think of another way."

Shellagh looked at the direction Zoë took to get away from them then placed her head on his shoulder and buried her face on his shirt, no longer caring if someone saw them. She didn't have to hide it anymore. "I do trust you, Mi-chan," she said softly. "I just can't help but feel that it's going to be a mistake."

"Hope for the best, Shellagh. Everything will be alright."

She lifted her head and looked bleakly into his eyes. "Okay."

Sendoh dribbled the ball with deceptive carelessness, passing it back and forth to each hand. One of the corners of his lips was turned up, a smile that told Rukawa he was trying his damnedest to irk him.

Rukawa charged at Sendoh but as usual the Ryonan player avoided his move. With utter concentration, he stared at the ball in the other's hand and thought of ways to get it back.

"I saw you staring at Zoë when she was here. Are you friends with her?"

Rukawa ignored Sendoh's blabbering and made a grab for the ball. But Sendoh was determined to keep it out of his reach and danced around him. He also continued blabbering on.

"Still not talkative are you? I would have thought that a month with Zoë would have you prattling on to anyone. I guess this means you're not friends with her or you're just a special case."

Rukawa, furious with the other's tries to infuriate him further, lunged at him but Sendoh anticipated that reaction and avoided his attack. He went around Rukawa and shot for the basket. It went in.

Rukawa made a hissing sound and caught the ball after falling from the net. He dribbled it while Sendoh guarded the basket this time.

"Me and Zoë, we go way back," continued Sendoh, as if nothing happened but following Rukawa's every action. "I first met her when I saw her play basketball in a public basketball gym all alone. She sure was good. Better than the other guys I know. Have you ever seen her play? Man, she can really shoot some hoops."

Rukawa gritted his teeth in annoyance and tried to get past him. But Sendoh seemed to know where he was going to go or what he was going to do. He countered Rukawa's every movement and he was also distracting him with his nonsensical conversation.

"Ever since then we'd play after school. She didn't want to at first because of an asshole she met awhile back but who can resist challenging me? You and Sakuragi can't get enough of me."

Rukawa pushed his way through Sendoh and managed not to lose the ball and shooting it through the hoop. His concentration was ebbing and he was beginning to listen to Sendoh. He felt that the other guy was trying to say something to him.

"Good one," commented Sendoh with a hint of amusement in his voice. He took the ball again and assumed his offensive position. "Zoë always made me laugh. She's the only girl who did. We've been good friends after that first game we had and kept in touch when they eventually moved to another town. It was a sad day, the day they moved. She's the most important person in my life."

That last comment had Rukawa's full attention. _What is Sendoh trying to say exactly?_

Sendoh started passing the ball between his legs, still continuing the one-sided conversation. But he could tell Rukawa was listening. "You're probably wondering what I'm really doing here today. Zoë thinks it's because I'm visiting her after such a long time and playing one-on-one against you. It's one of the reasons but not entirely. It's not the major reason."

Rukawa sensed that something big was going to reveal itself in any moment and he was also sure that Sendoh would be the one revealing it. "Why are you here?" he muttered almost to himself, unable to keep his silence.

"Curiosity finally made you talk, huh? Well, I'll tell you since you decided to grace me with your voice. I'm here to finally tell her I'm in love with her."

Stunned, Rukawa didn't even raise his arms when Sendoh ran passed him and slammed the ball into the basket.

***

AN: Okay, that's chapter 15! Hope you guys enjoyed it. Please review and tell me what you thought of it. Until next time! (",)


	16. The Truth

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Sorry this took a bit of time to put up! Major writer's block that was really hard to get rid of until now. But thanks to all of you who reviewed (Aeris and Super Rookie for the never-ending support Ü)!! Made my heart swell real big!

**Icko14:** Me too! I love Mitsui, more than Rukawa even, that I started this story thinking it was going to be mainly Shellagh and Mitsui but as it turned out, I love writing about Zoë and Rukawa more. (",) Zoë's vivacious, vibrant and so passionate with everything she does that pairing her with the silent and brooding Rukawa is really fun! But of course that doesn't mean I don't like writing about Shellagh. Oh, yeah, sorry about Sendoh. He just had to be there in the story. ÜÜÜ

**Cookies:** Interesting question! I hadn't thought that anyone would ask that from me. You'll find out the answer to that so read on!Ü

****

Dana: Hey dude! Thanks for taking the time in reviewing. You surprised me there! See you soon!

**Lady Ice Dragon: **Oh my! I haven't gotten around to finish reading your stories and reviewing but what I've read so far is really good!!Ü Thanks for reading my story and are you sure you want to let Sendoh have the girl? (",)

****

*Any takers that Sendoh should get the girl? Tell me! *Ü*

Chapter 16: The Truth

"Why are they talking, Akagi?" asked Kogure Kiminobu at Akagi's side, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose while feeling confused with how the game was progressing.

Akagi, his massive arms folded in front of him, could only guess the reason the two aces were not continuing with the game at hand. It seemed rather peculiar. Until Sendoh slammed the ball into the net, that is. "Maybe they're laying some ground rules for the game."

Kogure glanced at Akagi with more confusion on his face. "What for?"

Akagi shook his head. "Never mind. Gather the others and start doing the drills. We can't just watch here all day."

Kogure nodded and motioned the club members to huddle around him.

"In love?" murmured Rukawa, incredulous.

Sendoh smiled again, a corner of his lips lifting. "Zoë's a rare person, someone who you'll regret if you let her go. Today is the day I've decided she should know what I really feel for her." He threw the ball at Rukawa forcefully and it was pure instinct that made the stunned player catch it before it pummeled hard into his stomach. "Since when have you been in love with her, too?"

"What?"

Sendoh shook his head ruefully. "I'm not the most perceptive guy when it comes to this kind of things but I know when a guy is also in love with a special girl. I've seen it too many times around Zoë to know what I'm saying."

"You're crazy," retorted Rukawa tightly.

Sendoh's eyes glinted. "Am I? I saw the look you gave her when she came through the door. I saw your reaction when I hugged her and I can see it right now beneath that emotionless expression you call your face. I know because I've seen the same look on every damn guy that gets close to her. I've seen it on me. Face it, kid. You are in love with her."

Rukawa didn't even so much as blink as it was an old practice, a defense mechanism not to show any emotion as possible. Apparently, his control was slipping. It showed Sendoh too much already. Because he did love Zoë. He finally admitted it long ago to himself. Sendoh just didn't have the right to know. Yet. He still had to tell her, which was the most difficult thing he was ever going to do in his entire life for he was not the kind of man who would tell what he felt at a drop of a hat.

Rukawa's hands tightened around the ball as his temper started to rise. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I'm here to fight you over her."

Rukawa almost dropped the ball in surprise.

"What are they doing now?" asked Ryota, baffled why the game between Sendoh and Rukawa seemed to be in a standstill. People who were watching the exchange between the two also expressed their puzzlement as murmurs and snatches of conversation echoed from the four corners of the gym.

Sakuragi guffawed out loud. "Maybe fox-eyes is begging to stop playing against Sendoh. What a coward! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Whack! Whack!

All of a sudden, the two boys found themselves flat on their backs and stars whirling around their heads, unaware of the scowling manager stationed over them. 

"Stop talking and concentrate on your drills!" shouted Ayako, her arms folded in front of her and her fan rapping rhythmically to the tune of her tapping foot. "One more time I catch you goofing off, I'll tell Akagi."

"Aya-chan..." crooned Ryota when the stars disappeared from his vision and filled with Ayako's towering figure. He started to get up, following her orders almost immediately.

Sakuragi, however, was less forgiving than Ryota that he stuck out her tongue at her. Ayako retaliated by stomping on both of his big feet and discarding a threat to personally hang his neck if he didn't move his butt in five seconds.

Sendoh cocked his head and stared at him long and hard but his grave expression melted into a softening of the lips, into a smile. Then suddenly he burst out in laughter. "Man, you should see the look on your face!"

Nonplussed, Rukawa's eyes widened slightly. He stared at him in speechlessness.

Sendoh shook his head in obvious disbelief, all the while trying to contain his mirth. "I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. I've wanted to try that out on any of Zoë's suitors."

"What are you talking about?"

Sendoh couldn't stop smiling after he stifled the laughter within him. "I've always wanted to know how a guy would react after I tell them I'm going to fight Zoë over them. You didn't show much but I can tell you were surprised."

Rukawa gritted his teeth. _Why does he always see through me? _"You mean you were just kidding?" It wasn't a question but a flat statement accompanied by an intense glare.

"Lighten up, Rukawa. It was just a joke. You don't have to worry anymore. I'm not in love with her and you don't need to fight me to get to her. Zoë can do the ass-kicking herself."

"I don't have to worry about anything."

"Really? You wouldn't have to with _me_ but Zoë seemed to be avoiding you earlier and that only means she's pissed at you. I'm wondering why."

"It's none of your business."

"So, something did happen between the two of you. Well, I can get the story out of Zoë."

Rukawa took a small step forward, threatening enough that Sendoh had the urge to move back. In a barely controlled voice, fox-eyes bit out, "Why the hell are you always interfering?"

Sendoh raised his hands as if in surrender then folded them in front of him. "Zoë's my friend, a very important friend to me. Her pain is my pain. Her happiness is mine too."

Rukawa stopped for minute and then replied, "And you say you're not in love?"

"What would you know about love?" asked Sendoh sardonically.

Rukawa smirked, finally feeling smug. "Enough to know that you are. But you hide it behind friendship."

Sendoh stared at him and then offered, "Care to argue that over a game? The victor gets to tell the truth, the real truth about whether or not he is in love with Zoë."

The spirit of fierce competitiveness, the sheer desire to see his major rival's downfall and the strong need to also prove that he was right all arose within Rukawa. He nodded his assent almost too quickly and said, "You're on."

And just like that, the game started. Two of the best basketball players in the Kanagawa* prefecture gave their all on the court, just to prove that one was right and the other was wrong. Everybody who was watching saw that it wasn't just merely for testing each other's skill but for something entirely and deeply personal. 

It was a neck-to-neck competition, one that kept the audience exhilarated and gasping in awe and feeling lucky enough to have watched an awesome display of talent and sportsmanship. Even the Shohoku basketball team members stopped what they were doing and looked on with various reactions. Many were astounded, some were proud like indulgent fathers and only one was angry. It didn't even take a second to guess who that last one would be.

"Why does Sendoh play against that stupid Rukawa?! I am a much better player! I am the genius Sakuragi!" yelled Hanamichi, which was followed by a whack of Ayako's paper fan. He found himself flat on his back yet again for the second time that day and he wasn't feeling too good about it. If he only knew how to keep his mouth shut.

Sendoh took the ball after Rukawa dunked it into the basket. He dribbled it with his usual calm disposition, almost fooling the other to lunge at him in an aggressive fashion. But at the last moment, he faked a turn and sprinted to the net. 

There was only 5 seconds before the bell would ring, signaling the end of the game and Sendoh didn't want to lose. There was so much at stake here. His pride, his ego and his reputation were all entangled in this web of play. With a burst of strength, he lifted himself on to the air and stretched his arm towards the goal, unaware of the shadow of a limb reaching for the ball behind him.

The bell rang shrilly and Sendoh landed heavily on his feet, the ball rolling out of the court. He stared at Rukawa with a glimmer of a smile on his face while taking in deep breaths of air.

"Sendoh," began Rukawa tonelessly, his breathing terrifyingly irregular. "Are you in love with Zoë? The full truth."

***

*Kanagawa = Did I write this word right?

AN: Well, that's it! Please tell me what you think of it. I really want to know so don't forget to review!Ü Oh yeah, if you're confused, Sendoh did lose the game. ÜÜÜ


	17. Your call, Zoë girl.

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, people! I hope to get more in this new chapter. (",)

**White Angel: **That's really very sweet of you! Thank you. Ü

**Love-that-Fox: **This is for you! I know it took me longer than I expected to put this up but I didn't want you begging for a long time. And on your KNEES, nonetheless. Enjoy! (",)

**Cookies: **Sorry, I didn't get to answer right away! Yeah, it was Mi-chan's birthday last May 21!Ü

**Icko14:** I agree that Sendoh and Rukawa are difficult to understand. That's why it took me a bit of time to write their parts. (",) Sorry to disappoint you but you'll have to wait a little longer to know if Sendoh is lying or not. Ü

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Chapter 17: "Your call, Zoë girl."

Zoë reorganized her locker with a vengeance. She had been doing it for five times now, rearranging her books and notebooks in different patterns so as not to stop and think of what she learned that afternoon. But trickles of thoughts kept entering her mind, whispers of conversation that she accidentally overheard. She closed her locker, pressed her forehead on the cool metal door and succumbed to the inevitable. 

Flashes of the recent incident with her sister and Mitsui flooded her mind. She supposed it was to be expected. Shellagh was practically glowing ever since she and Mitsui started being friends again. Why wouldn't it be more than that? 

As much as she wanted to, Zoë couldn't really blame her twin for doing what she did. It made Shellagh happy being with him and she couldn't deny her sister's happiness even if it hurt her and scared her even more. She just wished she didn't find out about the two of them that way.

Zoë glanced at her watch and realized it was almost 5:00. Sendoh must be done by now. After all the attempts of busying herself in the library, reading books and magazines with unseeing eyes, she let the time pass by slowly, determined to come for him after he was finished with his game. She didn't want to see Rukawa more than she has to. She was walking along the corridor leading to the gym when a classmate of hers intercepted her along the way.

"Zoë!"

"Hey Aki."

"I'm glad I saw you. I just heard the most astonishing news about you!"

Zoë squinted. "Me?"

The red-haired girl nodded anxiously. "Yeah. Some girls have been spreading around that you and Sendoh Akira, the Ryonan basketball star, are sweethearts. Is this true?"

Zoë's eyebrows lifted. "Me and Sendoh? Of course not! How did they come up with that?"

Aki moved closer to her and lowered her voice, "Apparently, everyone who was in the gym earlier saw you guys hugging like crazy. The fact that you were in the same school before came up and they all assumed that he's here today because you had a romantic history together."

"Have they ever heard the word 'gossip'?" Zoë rolled her eyes, disgusted. "Glad you told me, Aki. I guess that's the reason why some of the people here have been giving me strange looks."

"So, it's not true?" asked Aki eagerly.

"No, we're just good friends. That's all."

Aki smiled somewhat in relief. "Oh, okay. Well, I'll be spreading that around for you, Zoë, to put a stop to these gossipmongers."

Zoë smiled back in appreciation but not before noticing the ease in the other girl's countenance. _Must be one of Sendoh's many fans, _she mused silently. "Thanks a lot." She waved back as she left Aki in the hallway. She neared the gym when she saw the tall figure of Sendoh, showered and dressed up while leaning on the wall beside the entrance and staring up at the afternoon sky.

"How did your game go?" she asked when she stood in front of him.

Sendoh looked down at her and gave her smile. "I lost."

"You did?" choked Zoë in surprise.

"Yeah, I did. At the very last second, Rukawa slapped the ball out of my hands. He won."

"I can't believe that. You're the best player out there!" she exclaimed.

Sendoh winced comically. "Thanks for the moral support." Then he sobered. "So what are we up to now?"

Zoë shrugged. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I would like to take a walk with you, you know, show me around a bit. Then look for a quiet place where you can tell me everything about you and Rukawa."

Zoë shook her golden head. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw him looking at you and you avoiding him. I say, there's something wrong going on with you that involves Rukawa."

"Believe me, there's nothing about me and _him_."

"You can't even say his name," he pointed out. "I thought I deserve better than that. You tell me everything before."

Zoë's face softened. "There's nothing to talk about. Really."

"I guess I can't force you to say anything, can I?" replied Sendoh, hiding the hurt he felt behind a teasing tone.

Zoë sighed. She did feel a bit guilty for not confiding in him. He was just concerned for her and, reluctantly, she thought that maybe she needed someone to help her deal with her problems than going at it alone. "Come on. Let's go find that place."

"Meeting Rukawa was an experience I'll probably never forget," started Zoë with a small smile on her lips, remembering. "It's not everyday where you get hit by a sleeping biker on a sunny Tuesday morning on the way to school and left on the road with bruises and all."

Sendoh raised his eyebrows while he sat back on the wooden park bench. "He ran you over with his bike?"

Zoë wrapped her arms around her middle, gazing thoughtfully at the lovely view of the blooming cherry blossom trees that lined the stone walkway in the park. For the first time in weeks, she thought of Rukawa with amusement rather than anger or sadness. "Yeah, while he was _sleeping_. He has this weird tendency or should I say 'sickness' that makes him fall asleep in unusual places."

"Too bad that doesn't happen when he's playing basketball, ne?"

Zoë glanced at him in sympathy. "Still griping about the loss?"

Sendoh shrugged. "Maybe a little. It was a fair fight and I'm thinking there will be plenty of games against him in the future. More than enough time to beat him in the next round." He waved his hand as if swatting a fly and urged, "But we're here to talk about you and Rukawa. What happened next?"

"Okay, okay, no need to rush," she said. "Because of that bike incident, I challenged him to a basketball game as my revenge. You know how I get when someone doesn't apologize to me when that person is clearly wrong so I wanted to beat him in a one-on-one. I hid my identity and let him have it out on the court. He thought I was a boy."

"What?!"

Zoë smirked, her face almost glowing. "The look on his face was priceless when he found out that I was a girl. There I was wearing big sweats, all my hair under the baseball cap you keep leaving with me and my face masked by the basketball goggles Maki gave me before. I was uncomfortable to say the least wearing the disguise but it was worth it. That was the start of our rivalry and it was a win-lose situation. One would win and then on the next game the other would win. I think my game improved a lot playing against him."

"He's one helluva player."

"I know. But he's also a sore loser," she added emphatically. "Every time I win, he would always hound me for a rematch."

"And you never asked for a rematch in the entire time?" he asked wryly.

Zoë laughed. "Of course I did! I couldn't stay a loser forever, you know."

Sendoh gazed at her intently and then concluded, "You like him." He had been studying her face the whole time she was talking and he had noted the little changes that came over her pretty features. When he first saw her this early afternoon, she didn't seem to be the Zoë that he remembered. She laughed and hugged but somehow he didn't see the ever-present sparkle in her eye. Now, talking about her happy times with Rukawa brought out that sparkle and looked as if sunshine was under her skin. Zoë was smitten. 

"Come on, admit it," he coaxed when she didn't speak anymore.

Zoë found her voice. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I can see that you do like him. It's in your voice, your eyes. It's in you. Don't you?"

"It doesn't matter if I do," she answered softly.

Sendoh placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him for comforting as he was sensing the earlier mood she was in was vanishing. "We're you very close to Rukawa?"

Zoë sighed. "I guess you can say that. I was the only girl that he'd talk to for more than one syllable. We were good friends, I think."

"So?"

"We argued about something. I think for the most part, I overreacted. But damnit! He should have known."

"Should have known what?"

"I'm a girl and playing basketball against boys never brought me good." She squeezed his hand. "Well, except you and Maki. You taught me a lot and respected me."

"Yeah, we did and we still do," he returned fondly.

"But like you guys, I thought it didn't matter to him that I was a girl playing in a guy's game. And then one day, at the carnival and in one of the basketball booths, he did the stupidest thing I could think of. He let me win so that I could save face to all those people who were watching. That's when I realize he didn't see me as a person who could hold her own. He thought I still needed a guy to win."

"You felt slapped on the face and made you remember that asshole."

"It all boils down to that, doesn't it? Because of that one guy, my world totally changed." She buried her head in his shoulder. "I really like Rukawa. Too much. He made me feel things no one has ever had and that's why it hurt more because it felt personal to me."

Sendoh looked up at the setting sun, the sky turning orange and purple. He smiled solemnly. "Do you miss him?"

Zoë remembered the weeks with Rukawa, to the first moment they met and down to the last conversation they ever had. Ever since they became friends, they were inseparable. Without him, she felt something missing. "Yes."

"Then why don't you talk to him? Clear the air? If you ask me, I think he never meant to hurt you."

"Maybe he didn't. He is as dense as they come." Zoë shook her head against his shirt after awhile. "But I don't think I can."

Sendoh met her green eyes incredulously. "Is this coming from the brave girl who faces anyone down who would get in her way?"

"It's not that simple!"

"Why? You just have to explain you're side."

"I-I'm embarrassed to talk to him. And I don't know what his reaction would be." When Sendoh just looked at her, she explained, "He said before he liked me, what if he doesn't anymore? After that argument, I don't think so."

Sendoh chuckled. "Is that all? You won't know anything if you don't go to him."

"I can't."

"If I dared you to do it, would you?"

Zoë bolted to her feet. "Sendoh Akira, you wouldn't dare!"

"Consider yourself dared then. I can't believe you're acting so timid. It's only Rukawa."

Sputtering, she stared at him. "What? Y-You can't do that."

"I just did," he said smugly. "Now go to him or else I get your Lakers jersey."

Zoë gasped. "That jersey is the genuine thing!"

"More reason to fulfill my dare. Come on, it's for your own good anyway. You like him so you go get him."

Zoë covered her face with her hands. "This is so unfair!" she moaned.

Sendoh just grinned evilly. "Your call, Zoë girl."

Zoë trudged up the stairs slowly, feeling a bit better after talking with Sendoh but not wholly because of the pressing predicament she was in. Sendoh had given her 5 days to do what he dared and beyond that, she had to relinquish her most prized possession to him. 

She knew her friend wasn't kidding about the dare and she was feeling very apprehensive about going up to Rukawa and spilling everything to him. She felt unready to face him, not knowing what to say and even how to start. True more than two weeks had passed since that awful incident in the carnival, but actually speaking to him and hoping for a reconciliation was getting on her nerves. She didn't know if she could do what Sendoh was demanding of her.

Zoë opened her bedroom door and turned the lights on. She stopped when she saw Shellagh sleeping on her bed. She sighed. She walked to the bed and sat down at the edge.

"Shellagh?"

Shellagh opened her eyes slowly, sleep still in them. "You're home."

"Yeah. What are you doing in my room?"

Shellagh yawned. "I was waiting for you to get back." She rubbed her eyes as she sat up and then looked earnestly at Zoë. "I just want to say I'm really sorry for not telling you about me and Mi-chan."

"I know, Shellagh."

Shellagh was still in the middle of her apology that she didn't quite hear the murmured reply of her sister. "I mean, you were really in this awful mood that I couldn't break it to you so I didn't but...wait, what did you say?"

"I said I know," she repeated. "I'm not really angry with you and I don't blame you for not telling me right away. I was in an awful mood that most of you guys were walking on eggshells around me. I'm sorry for that."

"It wasn't your fault, Zoë. You were hurt and I understand the feeling. Mi-chan obviously isn't one of your most favorite people because of before. I just didn't want to cause another hurt by telling you that him and I are together."

Zoë wrapped an arm around her twin. "I know that, too. I also understand that it's not my choice if you want Mitsui in your life. But are you sure? Do you like him that much to risk probable pain in the future?"

Shellagh laughed a little. "Don't be so dramatic but yes, I am sure because I love him."

"I knew it!" Zoë moaned. "You wouldn't have accepted him back in your life if you didn't."

"Don't worry about me too much, ne? Mi-chan wouldn't hurt me, I'm sure of it."

"Alright, alright. I'll give him a chance for you."

Shellagh grinned. "You can't believe how long I've wanted to hear that from you."

"It took me a really long time, I guess," answered Zoë hesitantly. "I'm starting to believe that he may be a good guy after all."

Shellagh suddenly hugged her. "Oh, he is! You just don't know him very well yet. But that's all going to change because he's going to talk to you soon and you're willing enough to do that, right?"

"Uhh...talk to him? That isn't actually part of my agenda in the near future."

"Zoë! Come on," she cajoled. "He just wants to speak with you about how he loves me so much and that he won't hurt me."

"He doesn't have to!" protested Zoë.

"I promised I wasn't going to talk to you before he did but I couldn't bear the thought of you being angry with me so if I tell him all is well between us, he'll find out I went behind my word. Please do this for me. Please, please, please, please!"

Zoë raised her eyes to the ceiling and replied disgruntled, "Oh alright, I'll do it. That's only if he does approach me, okay? I'm not going to him." _I have enough of **that** problem in my mind as it is._

She squeezed her in her arms and squealed, "You're the best!"

"I know I am. I'm the only one you've got."

Shellagh moved away a little to look at her. "I don't often say this to you but I do love you. Not just because you're being great about this and all but because you've always been very good to me."

Zoë smiled slightly. "I love you too."

***

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Somebody wrote this review: ..._I can't wait for the answer... I mean, he is more unreadable than Rukawa is, you know. Rukawa IS emotionless when he doesn't really bother about stuff. But Sendoh hides everything behind a smile. Well, will be looking forward to your next chapter *cheers*_

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Sorry your name didn't show up but I just wanted to comment that I agree with you that Sendoh is more unreadable than Rukawa. (",) Also, thanks for the comments! I really appreciate them. And, as I wrote to Icko14, you have to wait a little longer to know Sendoh's answer because it's obviously not in this chapter. Sorry!! (",)

Well, that's chapter 17! Reviews people! I want to know how it turned out with you guys. Thanks a lot! (",)


	18. Day of Reckoning

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, people! I hope to get more in this new chapter. (",)

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White-angel: Thanks for the cheer! I needed that. Ü

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Super rookie: Aha! So it was you! I thought that it might be you...hehe...I'm not saying anything...yet! Ü

**Cookies: **You'll get to find out soon enough...Bwahaha!!! Sorry...evil laugh...shudder

**ds: **Thanks for the compliment and I will. I think just two to three more chapters to go! Or maybe even less. ÜÜÜ

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Icko14: Wow! A twin?! Sister or brother? That's really cool. I've always wanted a sibling who was exactly my age and a guy but, sigh, I was given two older ones and two younger kids as brothers and sister. Is it true that twins have this really special bond that even border to the supernatural? (",)...Okay, okay...I know a death threat when I hear one! Mitsui it is. (",) Oh yeah, the picture you sent me didn't show! Can you send it to me again? Thanks! C",)

Chapter 18: Day of Reckoning

Zoë sighed forlornly. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She never planned this. Presumably, this time tonight, she was to be celebrating for her bravery and strength. But Fate, damn Her, didn't follow through. The Lady of Destiny seemed to have a different plan for her because she was back where she started. Back to where she was feeling apprehensive, miserable and now, cursing the hand that wove everyone's fortune or misfortune for not cooperating with her purpose.

She had waited for four days to summon enough courage to do the dare Sendoh had thrown upon her. Four days to prep her self into what she had to do and when she finally thought she could do it, circumstances she couldn't stop led to this miserable night.

She resisted the urge to hit her pillow over her head because of utter frustration but looked out the window and up to the dark heavens instead. _Why is this happening to me?_ She lamented. _It even started out great. I don't know what went wrong..._

Flashback

Zoë sat rigidly on her seat in the classroom, her forehead sweating profusely and her hands clasped tightly around a letter under the table while trying to listen to the conversation in the little group she was in. The teacher in charge had given the class a free period and it was happily taken in full advantage because the students were clustered together with their different clique, busy with their own devices and own diversions. 

But despite the loud chatter and laughter around her, Zoë was feeling apprehensive enough to only hear her own heart tattooing inside her chest. This was not because of any academic requirement that was due in the next class or the next one after that. 

It was finally the day of reckoning.

She was just waiting for the right moment to begin. The right moment being when the heavy ball of nerves rolling in her stomach disappeared. But as it was, as every agonizing second crawled by, she was getting more and more worried by the part that she would have to play when the time was right.

Zoë tightened her hands over the folded piece of paper in them, reminding her more than ever what she was about to do. She had painstakingly written a letter for Rukawa, explaining everything she thought he should know and urging him to forget the nasty business between them. When it was done, she thought of ways to give the letter to him but feeling that she was too embarrassed to actually face him, she planned on passing by Rukawa's chair and dropping the note _discreetly_ on his table. But that was if only she could get enough courage to actually do the deed.

"Zoë, what do you think?" asked Shellagh turning to her sister.

"Huh? What?"

Haruko raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay? You look tense."

Zoë mustered up a smile. "I'm fine. Sorry, I just spaced out."

Shellagh glanced at her concernedly but didn't ask what was bothering her. She knew why Zoë was feeling jumpy because her sister more or less told her what she was going to do that day. She wanted to help but she understood that this was something her twin had to do on her own so she didn't ask what her plan really was. She just gave her an understanding smile that she hoped would make her feel less strained and went back to talking to their friends, taking the spotlight away from Zoë.

Zoë glanced at Rukawa at the corner of her eye and she saw some of the boys in her class try to engage him in a talk about basketball. Predictably, he was unresponsive that some of the guys left him while the others debated if they should leave or stay. But it looked like leaving had won because they were standing up and looking disappointed. 

Zoë took a deep, deep breath, forcing out the fear lodged in her throat while she exhaled. She decided it was time to stop being a coward and shakily stood up. She muttered something to Shellagh about going to the restroom and moved her way to the back of the room where the Fox was sitting near the door.

Every step she took, every breath she inhaled was accompanied by the thudding of her heart and she was worried for a brief second that all this anxiety might make her faint before she got to Rukawa. But she forced herself to concentrate, berating herself that she was supposed to be the brave girl Sendoh told her she was and not a chicken that she had never been in her entire life.

With that thought in mind, she squared her shoulders and looked straight ahead. Everything was going to be fine. She can do it. Rukawa would read the letter and they were going to be friends again. That was what's going to happen. That was what _will_ happen.

She walked slowly and surely, more confident and more certain than before. When she was almost near his chair, she readied the note that she was going to have to put on his table and almost smiled at how easy everything was actually. Then she glanced at him.

Rukawa was already asleep on his seat. 

But, no worries, she was prepared for this kind of eventuality. She was just going to leave the letter on his table for him to read when he woke up from his nap. She thought that this arrangement was better because at least he didn't have to read it in class where he could look at her.

What she didn't take in consideration and didn't expect, however, were the boys around Rukawa earlier. They were just walking past her and she didn't think anything was bound to happen in such a simple act. 

Of course, she was wrong. 

One of them accidentally bumped into her that she dropped the folded piece of paper in her hands. Surprised, she looked down on the floor, only to see that it was being trampled under heavy feet. She gasped out loud in outrage.

All activity stopped as the rest of the class heard the loud sound that came out of Zoë's mouth. Even Rukawa woke up and saw her standing near him with a horrified expression on her face.

"Uh...sorry..." she stuttered while trying to laugh it off. "I dropped something." She grabbed what was left of her letter and fled the room.

In the restroom, she moaned in absolute embarrassment with a tinge of frustration.

End of flashback

Zoë's cheeks reddened as she remembered the incident that morning, embarrassment mingling with anger. If it weren't for that idiot who collided with her, she wouldn't have let the letter fall from her fingers and she wouldn't have gasped out aloud. Rukawa would have read her apology and hopefully everything would have been back to goddamn normal!

"Love is never easy," she whispered to herself and she flushed even more when she realized what she said. She shut her eyes and tried to forget what she wanted most by recalling what happened next that morning.

Flashback

Since her earlier plan didn't even have a chance against plodding feet, Zoë shredded what was left of the note immediately and forced herself not to mind the morning incident because she had a backup plan. She didn't like this next one too much because it required personal contact with Rukawa but she was practically getting desperate. She wanted to get this over with for things to get back to the way it was and to prove to herself that she was not a coward.

It was lunchtime and she was in front of her locker, waiting for Rukawa to walk by her. The wait was pure torment because of the nervousness inside her was intensifying but she had to do this. For Rukawa and most definitely for herself.

Then she saw him, walking tall and silently. And was expected, her heart fluttered. 

He was just so handsome, so impressive. Even if he wasn't a good basketball player and even if he didn't have a reputation, she acknowledged that just his mere presence would have commanded anyone to tremble. Everyone just had to look at him and see that no other male could be better than he is.

__

Okay, calm down. This is your moment. It's finally your time, Zoë instructed almost frantically to herself as she surfaced from her stupor. She breathed deeply and moved forward to ask Rukawa if they could talk.

"Uh, Zoë? Can I talk to you?"

Zoë suddenly felt a sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. _Not happening...not happening, _she chanted to herself. _This could not be the time Mitsui picked to approach me! _She almost didn't want to face the person ruining her moment but she did, very slowly. "Will this take long? I'm kind of busy," she answered tightly.

Mitsui moved his head, taking her irritation as her reaction to him. "It won't take long, I promise."

Zoë nodded stiffly. "Okay." She followed him outside to the schoolyard, casting a disheartened look back at Rukawa who also met her eyes and a mental kiss goodbye to her plan as she left the hallway.

__

It's not meant to be, she moaned to herself. _Just not meant to be._

"I want to talk to you about Shellagh," began Mitsui, looking charmingly uncomfortable.

Zoë, not quite ready to forgive him with his recent sin, lifted her nose. "What about my sister?"

"Well...I want to explain about what you heard the other day."

"Are you trying to deny it?"

Mitsui shook his head. "No, of course not. It's true that Shellagh and I are a couple. I just don't want you getting angry at her for not telling you about us in the first place."

Curious, Zoë stared at him and asked, "Why is that?"

"Because she only did it for you. She told me you were having some problems and since you don't like the idea of us being together, you knowing about it would only make you feel worse."

Zoë stood silently awhile then answered, "I understand my sister's motive, Mitsui, even without you telling me. I'm not angry at her."

"But you are at me," he concluded flatly.

She thought about it then answered truthfully. "I'm not sure what I feel about you at the moment but I do know that I can't hold a grudge too long at a person who so obviously makes my sister happy."

"I don't understand."

She sighed. "It means I'm fine with it just as long as you keep Shellagh that way."

He didn't allow himself to feel anything yet. "Were you all this time?"

"No. I hated you because you left her heartbroken. I had to mend her back up and that was only when she would let me." She stared dead on at his eyes and said, "When you came back into her life, I kept hoping that you'd hurt her again so that I could tell her what a fraud you really are. I know it was selfish of me but I thought I was doing the right thing for her. Now, I realize that maybe, and that's a BIG maybe, I was wrong to think that way."

Mitsui was silent, not entirely surprised at her honest words. He had always thought that among the most protective sisters in the world, Zoë was the ruling queen. "I expect that from you because you only want the best for Shellagh but this time, you just have to trust me that I won't hurt your sister. I never meant to before and I don't intend to do so in the future. She's too important."

Zoë heard the simple sincerity in his voice and was a bit astonished with her self that she believed him. She nodded reluctantly. "So we understand each other." Then her voice hardened. "But hurt my sister and I'll kill you."

Mitsui almost laughed at the sudden weightlessness on his shoulders. "If I do, I'll even help you."

Zoë's face brightened. "Okay then."

End of flashback

Zoë smiled openly to herself. Mitsui had guts. She would give him that because courage in a man was something to consider. She completely believed that he was telling her the truth that he loved Shellagh and that he wouldn't do anything stupid to her but she was still reserving judgement. Her loyalties and her protectiveness, of course, are to her sister and definitely not to Mitsui. She wouldn't and couldn't change that about herself and he would have to deal with it. However, to make things easier for everyone, she decided that she would be civil and eventually warm up to him. Nevertheless, if he made a wrong move, she will cut him off at the knees.

With that problem out of the way, there was only one thing that kept nagging in her mind. _Rukawa_. Zoë really tried to talk to him. She did everything in her power to put things to the way it was that for the third time that day and with her pride and her being almost in tatters, she attempted to approach him again hoping that this time was the one.

Flashback

__

I have had it! Zoë snarled silently to herself, her features set in a determined line. _I will face him now or by God I will personally thrash the next person to foil my plans!_ She marched to the gym resolutely; ignoring the numerous greetings as she quickly passed by. She was beyond caring that it didn't matter if she was to be humiliated or interrupted again. She just had to tell him everything outright and if she had to shout so that he could hear her explanation, so be it.

She reined in her temper when a persistent classmate stopped her to ask about a certain assignment that was due days ago. She gritted her teeth and prayed for patience. As long as she stayed in the hallways amidst the many students getting ready to go home, she would never get to Rukawa with the I-don't-care-anymore trip she was cruising in.

"You know what? Ask Shellagh. I'm pretty sure she knows because I can't answer you right now. I don't have my notes."

Zoë almost leaped to choke the girl when she answered that she couldn't find Shellagh.

"Well, I'm sorry. I have to do something right this minute so ask someone else," she replied almost nastily as she started moving again. She didn't glance back at her classmate but continued on her way. Trickles of guilt seeped in her mind but she brushed them away as she felt she didn't have time to feel any of it. She was on a roll here and she couldn't afford any distractions.

Zoë finally stood at the entrance of the basketball gym, scanning the scattered members of the Shohoku team for the Fox. She didn't see hair nor hide of him but she wasn't giving up. She approached Akagi.

"Akagi, where is Rukawa?" she demanded heatedly.

The giant's eyebrows raised as he took her in. Her white blond hair was slightly in disarray and she was breathing heavily as if she ran a ten-mile track. "Are you okay?" he asked warily.

"WHERE –" Zoë stopped and tried to calm down. These people just didn't know when to stop giving her a hard time. In a more even tone, she continued, "I'm fine. I just want to know where he is."

Akagi nodded slowly but wariness was still in his dark eyes. "He's not here, Zoë. He told me he had to go somewhere with his mother."

Not. Here. "Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

It seemed that every emotion seemed to fly out of her because suddenly, she looked and felt deflated. "Will he be coming back?" she heard herself say after a few moments of silence.

"I don't think so because he didn't say. Are you sure you're all right? You look pale, Zoë," replied Akagi while patting her shoulder in a concerned brotherly fashion.

Zoë gave him a fake, tight smile. "Yes, I'm sure. Can you do me a favor, Akagi? Don't tell anyone I asked about him, okay?" 

She turned around and walked away.

End of flashback

Zoë sighed sadly, remembering. However hard she tried and determined she really was, she just had to stop running after Rukawa and hoping that he'd understand. It wasn't meant to happen, she just had to face that fact. But it hurt to, God, it really did. But she couldn't put herself in that position any longer. It felt too much like deluding herself. She couldn't bear to be a fool. Tomorrow, she would call Sendoh and tell him that she lost.

Zoë settled deeper in her pillows, her mind and heart finally exhausted for what it had been through that day. So while staring at the dark canopy of twinkling stars, she drifted off to sleep.

It seemed to be an hour or even two when she suddenly woke up and moved to a sitting position. She didn't know what made her leave her dream world but she was sure something definitely did. Her dreams were dark and vivid but she forgot them once she was fully conscious of her surroundings. _What was it? _she asked silently_. _She figured she must have been still upset about the tall, dark fox for she felt rather uneasy and uncomfortable.

Zoë glanced at the lightening sky and remembered a time when she couldn't sleep and had witnessed a spectacular picture of the heavens. This time was no different for the colors swirled and then settled into a beautiful painting of dawn and she marveled at the miracle. She moved closer to the window and pressed her warm forehead to the cool glass. She suddenly felt better and she was glad. 

Until she saw him.

It seemed all time had stopped when she saw a shadow of a tall figure form through the morning mists. _Who is this? _she questioned, her heart caught in her throat as she saw that the person seemed to be looking up at her window. She touched the cold surface of the window, trying to get nearer when her eyes widened as the haze slowly evaporated and revealed the shadow in the fog. She instantly realized it was the reason she was awake. Destiny had finally followed through.

"Rukawa," she whispered almost reverently.

***

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AN: Okay that was chapter 18! Please review and tell me your thoughts. Thanks! (",)


	19. I hope you won't mind when I say that I....

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: I'm really sorry that this took so long! I've been busy that I couldn't find time to write as quick as I wanted and then FF.net had this problem with the website so I couldn't post it as soon as possible. But thanks for all the reviews I got from the last chapter. I was really flattered. (",)

**Cookies: **Thanks for the compliment! I'm really flattered. (",) Sorry, I had to end there and it's not because I have something against you or anything. Ü I just had to build momentum for this chapter. You'll get to know why after you read this. ÜÜÜ

**Sweet:** Hi! Thanks reading my story! To answer your question, Zoë's blond because I wanted to point out the big difference between her and Shellagh. Though I made their personalities different from each other, I still didn't want them to look alike. I thought that Zoë being blond was fine because it was still close enough to the Slam Dunk anime since one of Sakuragi's friends is also blond. Sorry if you don't like it but please continue reading the story! I would really appreciate it. (",)

**White-angel:** Thanks for the cheer again! Let's see...I think this story is almost done but I'm not ending the Rukawa-Zoë tandem just yet. Ü I still have some sequels in mind. (",)

**Love-that-Fox:** Sorry this chapter took so long! I hope you're not begging on your knees or anything but thanks for the lovely comments. Ü 

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Icko14: I got the picture, thanks very much! I loved it. ÜÜÜ

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Cool!: Thanks for the compliments! And sorry I took this long to post it. Please don't stop reviewing! I'm already on my knees apologizing profusely for the error of my ways! I hope you like this! ÜÜÜ

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Chapter 19: "I hope you won't mind when I say that I..."

Zoë was in shock. After all she had been through the day before, she almost didn't believe that she was seeing him now standing in front of her house. But he was here, looking up at her with a faraway look in his dark blue eyes. Maybe this was why Fate didn't let her talk to him yesterday. Maybe Fate just wanted to give her this chance to finally be alone with him. Maybe it was the Lady of Destiny's way of saying it was also time to let him know how she really felt. 

Then he turned away and started walking. 

__

He's leaving! the thought screamed in her head. With that thought flashing in her mind, she wasted no time at all. She flipped the covers of her bed and scrambled hastily out of the room. She was near the living area when she noticed that she was only wearing a thin long nightshirt and no shoes.

"Damn," she cursed. She ran towards the coat closet and pulled the longest coat there. It was her father's. She quickly put it on and opened the door, forgetting that she was barefoot.

__

Where is he? Zoë looked around frantically for the tall figure. She stepped onto the street and sighed in relief when she saw that he wasn't that far away from her.

"Rukawa!"

Rukawa stopped. _Did I just hear Zoë? _Then he cautiously turned around. He couldn't believe his eyes. _What is she doing out here in the street this early in the morning?_ He slowly started towards her, unsure of why she was there and suddenly talking to him. "Zoë."

"Hey," she greeted shyly when they stood before each other. "I-I saw you from my bedroom window so I came down to talk to you. Why are you here?"

Rukawa looked down at her and because Zoë was looking at the dirt floor, she didn't see the softening in his usually inscrutable eyes. "I was just passing by. I was jogging."

Zoë glanced at his attire and noticed the loose, exercise clothes he was wearing. She felt a blush creep up to her cheeks. _So he's not really here for me. _"Oh. You do this often?"

"Yes, every morning."

"So that's why you always sleep in class."

Silence reigned after that and for what seemed like centuries when both spoke at the same time, cutting off each other.

"Zoë –"

"Rukawa –"

They laughed uneasily after which Rukawa told her to go first.

"No, you go," said Zoë, smiling uncomfortably. "Mine can wait." _It has been for a long time now._

Rukawa nodded hesitantly and then finally seeing for the first time the bulky coat and bare feet, asked in confusion, "You want to sit down or dress first?"

Zoë reddened of embarrassment. "I think I should change my clothes. It's not really very fashionable this season," she joked disconcertingly. "We can take a walk if you like. Will you wait for me?"

__

Always. "Yes."

She could have sworn she saw him blush but she must have been dreaming for his face was back to its usual stoic expression. "Okay. I'll be back after 5 minutes. 10 minutes max."

"I'll be here, Zoë."

Without meaning to and without expecting it, her eyes filled with tears at how poignant his words really felt to her. She expected him to be angry, expected him to slice her up because of her previous actions toward him, but he was acting unusually sweet and understanding. Something she couldn't quite believe but accepted. "Thanks," she mumbled, moving past him. 

After dressing up in a record-breaking time of 7 minutes, Zoë and Rukawa were walking side by side along the streets of town. Sounds of morning rituals were in the air but it didn't disturb them as much. They were actually grateful because it filled the gap of silence between them. Not a word has been spoken yet.

Rukawa glanced at Zoë under his lashes and saw the apprehension in her fair features. He still couldn't believe she was here right in front of him, walking with him and wanting to talk to him. It has only been a mere three weeks since they've stopped being around each other, but it seemed longer to him than that. It seemed that before all this, they were always inseparable. And they probably were.

He also couldn't quite believe was the fact that he was in love with Zoë. He didn't know how that happened, he surmised that it just did. There was just something special in her that he couldn't really avoid where he was now. He had never been in love before so the feeling was new and unsettling to him. He thought of telling her but he was still trying to work that out within himself. 

He peeked at her again and noticed that she looked bothered and he wished he could do something to appease her. He knew there was only one thing to do that. He decided to speak first before the tangible tension around them increased further.

"Zoë –"

"Rukawa –"

They did it again. They seemed to be doing this a lot lately.

"It's okay. You can go first, Rukawa."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. Go ahead."

Rukawa nodded, appearing uncertain while clearing his throat. This had to be over. "I just want to apologize about what I did to you at the carnival. I didn't know that it would make you angry. When Shellagh told me what happened to you before, I finally understood why you reacted that way."

Startled, Zoë looked up at him. "Shellagh talked to you about me?"

"Yes. She was very worried about you and she came to me to ask why." Knowing her fierce temper from recent experience, he hastily added, "Don't get mad at her. She was just looking out for you."

Zoë sighed. "I know that. I'm not really heartless, Rukawa, regardless of what happened between us. I just wished she could have told me." She thought about Shellagh's never-ending patience with her in the past weeks. "I guess that's why she never asked me again after I told her I didn't want to talk about you."

Rukawa felt the pang her words left in him. "I'm sorry, Zoë," he said, more heartfelt than he ever was.

They had stopped walking on a small bridge overlooking a pond in the park, pink petals falling from blooming cherry blossom trees surrounding them. It was a romantic setting, beautiful and peaceful and it set Zoë's heart to a run.

She tried to calm herself before she spoke again but she just stared at his eyes. For a moment, she thought that everything was right in the world and that nothing was ever going to change that between them. But she soon sank back into reality and replied, "I accept your apology only if you accept mine. I was wrong to rip out on you, Rukawa. I was wrong to assume that all guys were the jerk I had the misfortune to encounter. I'm sorry."

He didn't even hesitate. "Then I accept."

Zoë looked at him squarely and smiled full out. "Does this mean we're friends again?"

"I guess it does," he agreed slowly, not really liking the sound of that.

"I'm glad that things are almost back to normal."

"Almost?"

"I guess the two of us can't really forget my awful outburst, can we? But we can try."

"I've already forgotten it," he replied seriously.

"Sweet, you really are," she murmured. Then she glanced at him mischievously. "I just have one last question to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Did you miss me as much as I missed you?"

Not expecting the question, Rukawa opened his mouth with no sound coming out. His heart was suddenly thundering inside his chest. "..."

Zoë laughed. "I'm just teasing. You don't have to answer that. It's not my real question anyway."

Rukawa mumbled something under his breath.

"What did you say?" she asked, not quite hearing him.

"I said..."

"What?" she asked again, coming closer.

"I..."

Zoë threw her hands up, a sign for divine intervention and also pure exasperation. "I know we haven't talked in such a long time but you couldn't have stopped talking ever since! I mean here you are resorted back to whispering so low I can barely make out what you're muttering there." She sighed. "Gosh, you so need me in your life."

Rukawa, suddenly pink in the ears because of her scolding him like a small child, bit out, "I said, very much."

"Very much what?" she retorted thoughtlessly. Then what he said sunk in her thick brain following with what she just uttered. Her eyes bugged out like saucers. "Oh." She instantly felt giddy, her lips widening into a grin. "So you missed me very much, huh? How very?"

Rukawa grunted, grumpy now.

She punched his shoulder lightly. "You're not going to be annoyed with me, are you? You can't! We just became friends again. You have to tolerate me for at least today since you did admit you _missed me_ anyway."

He rolled his eyes heavenward.

Zoë laughed more at his comical aggravation and blurted, "I did miss you too – I missed _teasing _you!"

"Are you going to ask me your real question now?" he interrupted through her laughter.

She rolled her own eyes at him and then said, "Changing the subject, huh? Fine, I can take a hint."

Rukawa raised his eyebrows when she didn't continue.

"Okay, okay. I'll get to it. It's not as if you're going anywhere." She leaned on the cold surface of the bridge, looking out at the pond. "I just wanted to ask if...Can you tell me why you let me win? I just want to understand why you did it."

He stalled. _What can I say? _"I didn't like the way those guys were talking about you. They don't know how good you are like I do. By losing, I showed them what you can be."

She turned to him. "And you didn't realize that by doing so you made me feel bad about myself?" Her voice contained no anger, just mild curiosity.

"No, I didn't. I thought you'd be grateful." He remembered her fury. "I was wrong."

"Yes, you were. But that's over and done with. I'm not angry anymore and we're friends again. We're fine with that, right?"

Rukawa almost choked with the words that wanted to come out. "Yes," he croaked.

"Are you okay?" she asked, perplexed by his stifled response.

"I'm fine." He mentally smacked his head for his stupidity.

She nodded deliberately, looking everywhere but at him. "Okay. Anyway, since we're friends I hope you won't mind when I say that I..."

He was hanging to her every word. "You what?"

__

Shit, I really am crazy, Zoë thought. _Here it goes._ "I'm in love with you."

Rukawa was stunned and ultimately speechless. His dark blue eyes wide and his mouth dropped open, forming an "O".

Zoë blushing to her roots, continued bravely, "I have been for a long time but it doesn't mean anything. I mean we're still friends and I don't want that to change, alright? I'm not forcing you to do anything or be anything."

He worked his mouth and tried to make a sound. But shock was still there, making him unable to respond quickly.

"All I'm saying is that I love you because you're a decent guy and I've noticed how sweet you are sometimes like awhile ago when you said that you've already forgotten what happened between us and I thought it was great of you to say that," she babbled. "You're also really cute though you don't seem to know that but I do and so does a bunch of girls who are starting to stare daggers at me because of how much we spent time together before this farce we call a fight but I'm okay with that because I don't care about them because I only care about y –"

He was kissing her already. He decided that for him to be able to say something in edgewise, he had to shut her up and this was the most favorable option he took.

When they broke apart, they were both breathing heavily from the prolonged kiss and staring at each other dazedly.

"What– What did you do that for?"

"For the hell of it," he mumbled to himself.

"What?" Confusion settled in with the shock.

He shook his head and said, "Because I wanted to."

"Why?" she persisted, her emotions dancing crazily inside her.

Rukawa gazed down at her and saw the want and uncertainty lurking in her green eyes. He had wanted to appease her from her earlier turmoil and he realized that this was his chance to do that, for her and for himself too. 

He slowly lifted his fingers to touch her cheek, finally finding the courage to open his heart the way she did hers. "Because I love you, Zoë" he answered softly.

She couldn't believe her ears. This was Rukawa she was hearing, the person who didn't know anything about girls and love. But here he was, actually telling her what she wanted the most after he _kissed_ her! "You're not just saying that because I told you that I'm in love with you, are you? I know I told you you're sweet but you don't have to say that to me so that I'd feel better. I'm not expecting it." She braced herself for his answer. She wanted desperately to believe that she was wrong.

Rukawa gave her a half-smile, his eyes lighted with an emotion Zoë knew was in her own. "I wouldn't tell you if I wasn't. I've been having these feelings for you for a long time."

Tears started to fill her vision as she whispered, "How do you know that it's the same feelings that I have for you?"

"I just do."

This was the last time she would think that Fate didn't have a reason for making things the way it was. If she only knew that the Lady of Destiny had this planned for her, she would have never been furious at Her. She would have been grateful as she was now.

Her lips formed into a beautiful smile, expressing how much joy she was feeling at that moment. She moved towards him and was enveloped into a bear hug.

"You still want to be friends?" he murmured through her golden hair.

"Do you?"

"I want what you want."

Zoë buried her head into his soft cotton shirt, feeling his taut muscles underneath and replied, "Then sure. I think all couples are still friends with each other."

Needing more assurance than that, he asked again, "So that means?"

She moved upward and kissed him gently on his mouth. "That were friends but more than that."

***

Please watch out for the epilogue! ÜÜÜ


	20. Attack of the Angry Horde of Cheerleader...

A Chance to Love

By Shellagh22

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the anime, I just write about it. But how I wish it were otherwise...(",) Shellagh and Zoë are my own creation.

Author's note: Hi guys! First of all, I would like to apologize for putting up the epilogue after almost a month. I can't believe time flew so fast! (",) Anyway, one of the reasons this is super late was because it's the last chapter and the conclusion of my story that I have to make sure all details are tied in. Yes, especially the deal with Sendoh. Didn't forget that as you guys might think. Ü Another reason is I was attacked by a vicious monster called "Writer's Block". I'm pretty sure most of you know it as the bane of every writer's existence. So here it is and I hope you like it as the conclusion of this series. (",)

Okay people! Read on and don't forget to review! ÜÜÜ

Epilogue: The Attack of the Angry Horde of Cheerleaders

If someone had told her that this was going to happen to her, she would have rolled her eyes and scoffed at the absurd idea. She never would have believed in a million years that she could ever be this happy and content in this stage of her life. It was just not possible. Until she was proven wrong.

It seemed that it was just yesterday that her family had moved to this town and she had brooded that she was doomed for eternal gloom as a nomad, moving to new places at such an alarming rate. She didn't think that she'd like it here or if she had enough time to like it here. 

But Fate continued to be on her side as she was given the time to meet new friends in a new school that were able to accept her and bring out the real person trapped under a shy wall. She met a guy from her past that corrected her present. She and her sister's bond with each other only strengthened as months passed by. And finally, her father had announced recently that the family had to stay in this town for more or less two more years before they had to move again. All in all, she was definitely pleased and downright thankful at how things turned out.

Everything was just so perfect and where it was supposed to be that she didn't think that anything could ever ruin her good mood. She hoped she was right.

"Hey. Been looking for you," Mitsui greeted as he slipped an arm around her shoulders.

Shellagh gave him a mischievous smile. "Now that you've found me, what are you going to do to me?"

Eyes twinkling, he answered, "I don't know. Still thinking about it."

"Well, think fast because I have a meeting to go to, pretty boy." She pinched his hand playfully and moved away from him.

Mitsui laughed. "I can't believe there's a teasing side of you that I hadn't seen before. Where has this been hiding, huh?"

She stuck out her tongue. "It's been right under your nose all this time. You just didn't know where to look."

"Yeah, probably. But I know now and I'll know what to do about it when it shows itself again," he replied rather smugly.

"Oh, I'm shaking."

He chuckled. "You're so happy today it's rubbing off on me."

Her smiling face turned to a concerned look. "What do you mean? Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not. I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that you're cheeriness is making me happier."

"Oh." She flashed a sheepish grin. "I can't help it. I was thinking how everything seems to be just right and all. I mean you and I are great and Zoë and Rukawa are together at last. It's something to feel delighted about."

Suddenly, a crash resounded behind them that made both turn around to see what it was. A girl was on the floor, her hand around her left ankle and her delicate facial features miserable. Shellagh and Mitsui were on the ground in seconds.

"Are you okay, Jun?" asked Shellagh, recognizing her as one of the students from another section in the freshmen year.

Tears were in the small girl's eyes but she nodded bravely and tried to stand up. Mitsui placed an arm around her waist and guided her on her feet. "We'll bring you to the clinic."

Jun shook her head. "I'm fine. I can do it. I'm just a little shook up." 

Shellagh placed a comforting had on the girl's arm. "That was a nasty fall. Let us help you."

"I can do it. Don't worry about me." Jun shook Mitsui's arm away from her and moved aside "See? I'm fine. Thanks anyway."

When the girl hobbled away from them, Mitsui turned to Shellagh. "Well, that was...abrupt."

"I guess she really didn't want us to help her." She studied his tall and handsome profile. "She must be intimidated by you, Mi-chan."

"What?"

"You're a basketball player and a popular figure on campus. I think she wasn't comfortable around you."

He shrugged. "Maybe she was with you."

Mildly surprised, her eyebrows lifted. "Why?"

"You're smart, beautiful and you're the girlfriend of this certain popular basketball player. That makes you quite an intimidating person on campus."

She burst out in laughter. "Ha! If you think that statement will get you anywhere with me, think again."

He smiled sweetly and innocently. "Just telling you the way I see it." When they reached the school paper's office, he kissed her briefly on the cheek and said, "Meet you in the gym after your meeting, okay?"

Shellagh nodded and waved at him as she reached for the door, Jun's accident out of her mind. _Yes, _she thought. _Life is perfect._

It started as whispered murmurs among the girls in the school; estimations of the truth behind it scattered around turning to full-blown passionate assumptions to girls in cheerleading uniforms. A certain limping girl was cornered on the way to the bathroom, questioned and slightly harassed with what she heard and knew for sure. After a twenty-minute interrogation, the real story was finally out.

An assembly of more than fifty girls were immediately called.

Ideas began to be given out. 

Schemes were formed.

Then a definite plan was made.

She was practically walking on air.

Everything was just so perfect and where it was supposed to be that she didn't think that anything could ever ruin her good mood. She supposed that it must be this love thing with Rukawa. She had heard before that everything would look to her as all hearts and flowers, beautiful and flawless in this state of mind. She decided they must be right since she couldn't find any fault in her surroundings and in anybody she met along the school corridors, however annoying they could be.

Many of her friends assumed that her strange behavior must have been caused by something really great to make her unusually cheerful and hyper all of a sudden. If they only knew half of it!

It was a tall, very gorgeous, moody Fox that fell on her hands and right into her heart which, amazingly, also reciprocated the same feelings she had for him. She was happy.

Life continued to be the same. School was usually hectic and extra-curricular activities were more so but during the next two weeks since that fateful day in the park, Zoë found out things of Rukawa that she would never have guessed about him.

It was surprising at the least to find out that he can be really considerate for another person other than himself. Oh, it was just little things. Like, walk her home if she stayed behind in school for a project or bring books she carried in her arms on the way home and even hold her hand in his when he thought no one was likely to see them.

He told her it wasn't like that before since he only had one interest: basketball. But since she showed up, his life made a wild turnabout to include her.

Zoë sighed. He was really good in saying such things like that to her, another of the things she found out about him. One wouldn't know and expect it until you get close to him as she has but it was there and it gave her the thrills.

No one really knew yet that they were together. Only just a handful that included her sister, Mitsui (Of course Shellagh would've told him!), Akagi, Haruko (who whooped in glee) and Sendoh. The two of them weren't hiding it from anyone though they weren't telling either. Zoë assumed that one would know if they saw them holding hands or hugging or kissing but that was out of the question since the two of them were never into public displays of affection. 

As far as they were concerned, they could only care less if anyone knew or not. Both were just happy to be with each other than be affected with what others think or say.

Zoë was on the way to the gym after her a study session with some of her classmates to meet Rukawa when she spotted a certain Ryonan basketball player waiting for her near the entrance of the basketball gym. She walked quickly to greet him, a big smile on her face.

"Sendoh!" she laughed, giving him a hard hug when she reached him. "I didn't expect you to come today. Why didn't you call me?"

Sendoh studied her features when they moved apart. "Just wanted to surprise you and see for myself what Rukawa has done to you. You look good."

"It's because I feel good, you dolt," she said teasingly. Then she sobered. "And it's all because of you. Thanks by the way for daring me. Couldn't have done it without you."

"What are friends for, right?"

She smiled brilliantly up at him. "Right."

He reached for her hand and wrapped his own around hers. With eyes looking at her seriously, he said, "I need to tell you something."

Sensing the somber mood around him, she looked up at him questioningly. "What's it about? It sounds important."

"It is actually."

She nodded. "Okay, shoot."

"Well, I just wanted to tell you that I..." Sendoh's voice trailed as something caught his eye. His expression flitted from puzzled to amazed and at last to anticipated mirth. He tugged her shoulder. "Zoë, look behind you."

Curious, she did and was a bit astounded by the huge gaggle of cheerleaders standing in front of her. Most had scowls on their faces, some looked intimidated and others even hid behind the others.

"We need to talk to you, Riechtmann."

Rukawa dribbled the ball, approaching the net with a single intent. To win. All his life, this was what he lived for, what he craved. He was very young when he decided that becoming the best basketball player was going to be his ultimate goal in life and he was committed enough to shut out almost everything and everyone from himself to fulfill his dream. He was still young now and he knew he had a long way to go before he reached his purpose but he recently realized that that wasn't everything he wanted in his life.

He was in love with Zoë and he wanted her to be with him. 

As a person who only had one priority, this was a big change. But he surprised himself by accepting the transition without any qualm because he knew deep down that it was what he wanted too.

And he never felt better. 

Being with her was...amazing. They still had their squabbles and disagreements but it was more for the hell of it than real anger. That part of their relationship was what he loved the most. He had always assumed that girls were fragile little creatures and when one would do something not to their liking, they'll start crying and nagging and become really annoying. But with Zoë, she would cross swords with him instead of bawling, cutting him off with her razor tongue and quick wit. At least with her, he didn't have to feel flustered and awkward. He just had to fight back.

"Oi, kitsune! What are you daydreaming about there?" yelled Sakuragi from the other side of the court.

Rukawa blinked twice when he saw that every member of the basketball team was looking at him curiously. He felt a blush creep in as he saw the bright orange ball in his hands. He realized he was in the middle of a game when he abruptly stopped and thought of Zoë.

Sakuragi, seeing this as an opportunity to insult his archenemy, added slyly with his voice filled with innuendo, "Your face is all red, kitsune. What were you thinking about, huh?"

He slammed the ball to the other's gut. "Asshole," he replied irritably and left the now in pain but laughing redhead on the gleaming floor.

Sakuragi quickly gained his feet and started after Rukawa, fully intending to continue teasing him when a slightly out of breath freshmen entered the gym. 

"You guys! You absolutely cannot miss this. There's a girl fight happening outside!" he exclaimed and then ran outside again. The boys of Shohoku basketball team exchanged glances at one another and then all purposefully walked towards the entrance.

Rukawa moved behind them, wondering about the sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach. _Why do I have a bad feeling about this?_

And then he heard it.

"That's not true, Riechtmann! He's ours."

Zoë arched one golden eyebrow, annoyed with the rude tone of voice used to call her attention. She located the owner and her eyes narrowed with more irritation as she recognized the girl, Mariko, as the unchallenged leader and appointed spokesperson of the huge cheerleading squad.

"What is this about, Mariko?" she asked, trying to remain polite. She didn't want this to evolve to something big even though her blood was already racing in adrenaline.

The tall girl glared at her mockingly. "You know what this is about."

Her annoyance raised to another level that she couldn't help but say, "Are you deaf or just plain stupid? If I knew about it, would I ask you?"

Sendoh smirked himself when he heard Zoë. No, she was certainly not a coward. He didn't like what was happening and he hoped he could call Shellagh or even Rukawa before this turned into anything serious but he didn't want to leave. He didn't want to miss the dressing down this group was going to receive.

"It's about Rukawa," snapped Mariko.

__

Interesting, thought Sendoh. _Where does the kid fit into all of this?_

"What about him?" she countered though she had a slight idea what these girls were making noises about.

"Don't pretend you don't know, Riechtmann. We know for sure that you're trying to take him from us!"

Murmurs and shouts of assent were pronounced in the air.

She shook her head emphatically. "I'm afraid I would have to burst your bubble. He's already mine."

Not so silent gasps were emitted at the loud proclamation.

"That's not true, Riechtmann!" shouted Mariko heatedly. "He's ours." _Mine._

"I don't care what you think. What we have together is none of your business."

"You made it our business when you're stealing him from us!"

She lost her temper. "And when was he really yours? When he was avoiding you? Or when he was ignoring all of you like the plague?" Her voice went to bitchy overdrive. "Wake up from your foolish fantasies, girls, because that's just what it is, what it can only be. Fantasies."

Most wailed and others stood still but a few moved forward angrily. "We're his cheerleading squad!"

Zoë snorted. "As if that makes any difference. If you only know what he feels about your squad, you wouldn't be here right now." Then attempting to put a stop to this, she said, "Look, what all of you don't seem to understand is he made his choice. _I'm his choice_. I didn't steal him or take him away from all of you since in the first place, he was never yours."

Mariko shook her head. "We would never believe you. We would never believe that a gorgeous basketball star could ever choose an ugly girl like you. It's all lies!"

"I think you should take that back," drawled Sendoh from where he was standing, enjoying the show. "Because if I bet against you on this one, you'll lose."

The leader of the pack stared at him snootily. "Shut up! Why would we believe you either? You're an enemy of Rukawa. You must be in on Riechtmann's ruse as well."

Sendoh chuckled. "They're determined to disbelieve everything you say in the matter, Zoë. Maybe you should call the kid on this. He might be able to turn this around."

"No," she replied willfully. "This has nothing to do with him. This is about me and them."

"From what I just heard, he's stuck in the middle."

She frowned at him and hissed, "Sendoh!"

"Suit yourself," he replied still chuckling.

Zoë turned to the crowd again; hands on her hips and legs stood apart, ready to do battle. "Contrary to what you think, there is no ruse. If you don't believe me that he made his own choice in this matter, I don't really care. We're together and nothing that any of you say or do can break us apart."

Mariko, in rage, lunged forward with one palm ready to slap her. She wanted to see her cower. She wanted to see her in pain. She wanted to scratch her pretty face and pull her golden hair out of her head and make her so ugly to believe for herself that what Zoë was saying where all untruths.

But she didn't even see it coming. 

Next thing she knew, she was looking at a pair of the angriest and bluest eyes she had ever seen. _Rukawa, _she thought alarmingly to herself.

By this time Shellagh and Haruko had pushed their way to the front of the crowd and looking concernedly at Zoë.

"Are you okay?" asked Shellagh when they reached her sister. "Did she get you?"

Zoë shook her head, a little dazed by the turn of events. "No. He stopped her before she could touch me."

Haruko patted her shoulder, trying to soothe. "There, there now. Everything will be fine. Rukawa's here."

With that last comment, the glazed sheen in her eyes evaporated and she shrugged her sister and friend's hands off her as she stalked resolutely towards her boyfriend. "Back off," she said when she stood beside him. "I mean it. This is my fight."

Rukawa didn't even spare her a look as he stared down at the trembling girl in front of him and then lifting his face to glare at the whole mass of his self-proclaimed cheerleading squad. "I'm sorry but I can't," he murmured back to her. "I heard enough and they won't believe you about anything unless it comes from me."

"They'll think I corrupted you into joining in my 'ruse'." 

He finally shifted his gaze to her and gave her a half smile. "Then we'll just have to show them otherwise."

"Show? What do you mean –"

He just took her hand in his and faced the mob. Silence rose in the air, stretched even to the farthest person at the back of the crowd, all envious eyes on the held hands between the couple.

When he saw that every person there was focused on him, he began quietly, speaking for the first time to the girls in cheerleading uniforms, "I've never asked any of you to do anything for me. I didn't ask you to cheer for me and I sure as hell didn't ask you to act around me as if I'm some celebrity. I let it pass because I didn't really care. But now I do and I'm asking all of you to leave Zoë and me alone. It's that easy."

Mariko, viciously stung and almost beaten but trying to stay afloat on the situation whined desperately, "Rukawa-kun, how could you do this?"

Rukawa glanced at Zoë and gave her a real, genuine smile that spoke everything he felt for her. A phenomenon as no one has ever really witnessed a carefree emotion on his face. "I really didn't do anything," he answered softly. "I just loved her back."

The words were so simple and yet complex by the intense and emotional undertone that for the second time in two weeks, Zoë felt her eyes tear up. But she forced herself to grin at him and turn to the horde of cheerleaders. "And here's the part where I say, 'I told you so', but I won't. Because no one can ever think now that this was all a lie." She looked up at him again and their eyes met and held. "I sure won't," she murmured quietly.

Everyone in the huge gathering caught the tender display between them and finally, slowly they understood that the truth was right in front of them. It was disheartening. It was deflating. It was heartbreaking...for them to see their hero with someone else but they knew there was nothing they could do about it. It was real.

Shellagh, seeing the moment between her sister and Rukawa that she thought should have been private, spoke up. "You heard them, people. It's time to get on with your lives from now on. Come on. Let's get moving."

Haruko, trying not to smile too much at the couple in front of her, followed suit. "Come on, you all! Go on and leave the lovebirds alone. As soon as you accept it, life will be easier."

Mariko appeared to want to fight what was happening around her but after a moment, she raised her chin high and just walked away along with the rest of the squad.

"I thought she was going to start yelling again or something," said Mitsui behind Shellagh.

Hanamichi shook his head as he stood beside his girlfriend. "Unbelievable. What do those girls see in _him_?" he asked, scowling at Rukawa pointedly.

"Just because he's cute and is one of the best basketball players around doesn't mean you have to look all grumpy and jealous," replied Haruko. "He doesn't have everything, you know."

"I'M NOT JEALOUS!" he growled. Then he muttered, "Besides, you think he's cute and great in basketball. What doesn't he have?"

She beamed up at him impishly. "Me. Because I find that you're cuter and better."

The redheaded monkey laughed so loud and looked so full of himself that he couldn't help but push a rise out of the kitsune. "Oi Rukawa! Hear that? You don't have Haruko-chan. And I'm better! Haha!! Oh yeah, nice speech. Really touching." He began to mimic the frowning fox. "'I didn't do anything. I just loved her back.' Hahahaha!"

Rukawa, completely red in the face now as he realized the full implication of what he did, started toward the monkey when Zoë stopped him. "Forget it. It's not worth it."

"You do know I just made a complete ass of myself in front of the whole school and that I was never like this before you showed up?" he asked her, face grim.

She nodded solemnly, as she also comprehended the meaning of what he did for her. "I do. Thank you."

He sighed inaudibly. Then uttered, "No, thank _you_." 

It was going to be another intense moment between the two of them when they heard Hanamichi teasing them mercilessly again. Zoë stopped Rukawa once more when he set out toward the outrageous redhead. She mouthed, "Not worth it."

He turned to the monkey and shot back, "Hear that, idiot? She said you're not worthy!"

Hanamichi stopped his mirth and glowered at the offending fox. He was about to say something insulting when Haruko pulled him away in exasperation. "You two will never change," she commented.

From where he was standing, Sendoh had a small, sad smile on his face. He should have known the kid would make her happy. He didn't believe it much before but after the incident earlier, there was no mistake. He finally accepted it as he should have done before and he decided there was only one thing to do. He glanced at her as she approached him and his smile soon brightened.

"So, what were you going to tell me before we got interrupted?" Zoë asked, her spirits very high.

He shook his head. "It was nothing. Nothing at all."

She gave him a puzzled expression. "You sounded serious enough for it to be nothing."

"Don't worry about it."

"You weren't freaked out about what happened with those girls, were you?"

He tsked and waved the thought away. "I've long since forgotten the feeling of freaking out where you're concerned, Zoë."

Unexpectedly, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Thanks for everything. I won't forget what you did. You know, with the dare and all."

He returned the embrace while looking straight at the kid who was never that far away. "As I said, don't worry about it."

Rukawa nodded curtly at the silent greeting from his rival.

Then the two moved apart. "Well, I'll be going now, Sendoh. Rukawa's practice seems to be over and he's walking me home. You'll call me, right? I'll see you soon?"

He pressed a gentle kiss at her forehead. "You will." He let go of her hand and saw it to be taken by another and he felt his heart crack a little.

"They look good, don't they?"

He glanced at Akagi standing near him. "Yeah, they do." He returned his gaze at the couple and murmured to himself. "I just wish I had the chance to tell her how I feel..."

Unknowingly to the Ryonan player, the Shohoku captain heard him and he was actually thinking the exact same thing when he saw and heard the happy laugh of Shellagh with Mitsui at the side. _I wish I had the chance, too._

After a while, Akagi turned to Sendoh again. "You want to play one-on-one? I don't want to pass up the opportunity of playing against you on my own."

Sendoh glanced at the burly player in amusement. "If you're sure you can take me."

"I can take anyone."

He gave out a laugh and followed the huge guy to the gym.

As the day darkened to night, Shellagh sighed in blissful contentment as she walked home with Mitsui, their hands clasped and hearts together. She had been reflecting of what was and had been astonished by the sudden rightness of her life. 

She and Zoë had each other. She had Mitsui. Her twin had Rukawa. Their friends were still great and her family wasn't moving for a very long time. Everything was the way it was supposed to be (again, since that awful confrontation) and she couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky. She didn't know why she and Zoë were so blessed and she couldn't really say if they deserved it but she was truly thankful that the two of them were given this chance to live the way they wanted and to love the way they needed. 

Life was definitely perfect, she marveled, and she didn't want it any other way.

FIN

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AN: Oh my GOD...It's done. It's finally finished. You would not believe the agonies that I've been through in making this ending! It was really DIFFICULT! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it. It was a fun ride and I admit that I enjoyed every minute of it. So please, REVIEW! c",)

Here are my thank you notes to those people who reviewed last time:

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Cookies: Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and cheers. You really boosted up my writer's soul to the max! And yes, it does feel so great to fall in love. (",)

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Sweet: Hi! Thanks for sticking around and I'm really happy that you understood why I made Zoë blond. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading the conclusion of "A Chance to Love"! ÜÜÜ

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Super rookie: You are the greatest! Thanks for staying through all the chapters I've posted until the end of this story. It really cheered me up when I see you review a new chapter. Ü Oh yeah, I hope you liked the scene about Sendoh. It's short but you get his drift, right? ÜÜÜ

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Angel42: That is the 'bestest' compliment I've ever received!! (",) I'm not a pro writer but it warms my heart you thought of me so. Thanks a lot! I'm really, really flattered. ÜÜÜ

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There was one person who reviewed but didn't leave a name: I hope you found the rest of the chapters and enjoyed reading them. Thanks a lot!

Okay, before I go, I just want to thank again every one of you who read my story (those who do and don't review). I hope you liked it enough to review it and to read the sequel. The sequel is still under construction so I think it'll come out late July or early August. Please watch out for it! (",)

Oh yeah, to those of you who love reading Ranma ½ stories, I posted a chapter. I hope you guys check it out. ÜÜÜ

Arigato. Ciao!


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